Bomb Threats Against Trump Cabinet Nominees, Biden Administration Investigates

Bomb Threats Against Trump Cabinet Nominees, Biden Administration Investigates

U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Friday that his administration is working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to address "swatting" incidents and bomb threats targeting lawmakers and President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees earlier this week.

Representative Seth Magaziner, a Democrat from Rhode Island, reported receiving a bomb threat at his home on Friday. This followed similar threats faced by six Democratic lawmakers in Connecticut during the Thanksgiving holiday. In each case, law enforcement found no evidence of explosive devices, according to the lawmakers.

Among Trump’s nominees, Defense Secretary candidate Pete Hegseth and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) head nominee Lee Zeldin were also targeted with bomb threats and swatting attempts on Tuesday and Wednesday. Swatting involves making false reports to law enforcement, leading to heavily armed police responses at the victim's location, causing fear and disruption. Experts describe it as a growing form of harassment against prominent individuals.

Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries condemned the incidents, stating, "House Democrats will not be deterred or intimidated from serving the public by violent threats."

In addition to these incidents, Trump was the target of an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania in July. In September, a separate incident in Florida saw a man arrested for allegedly planning an attack outside a Trump golf course while armed with a rifle.