Trump Cabinet Picks Face Threats Of Violence, Spokeswoman Says

Several of President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks and their families faced threats of violence Tuesday evening, according to a statement from incoming White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

The attacks, according to Leavitt, ranged from bomb threats to “swatting.” Law enforcement has responded to each of the situations, and the nominated cabinet officials and their families are safe, Leavitt wrote. 

“Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them. These attacks ranged from bomb threats to ‘swatting.’ In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted. President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action,” Leavitt, the spokeswoman for the Trump-Vance transition team, wrote. 

“President Trump and the Transition are focused on doing the work of uniting our nation by ensuring a safe and prosperous future. With President Trump as our example, dangerous acts of intimidation and violence will not deter us,” she added. 

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— Karoline Leavitt (@karolineleavitt) November 27, 2024

Though Leavitt did not name which cabinet picks were targeted, Trump’s nomination for administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Lee Zeldin, took to Twitter to explain that his family was targeted.

“A pipe bomb threat targeting me and my family at our home today was sent in with a pro-Palestinian themed message,” Zeldin wrote in a Wednesday tweet. “My family and I were not home at the time and are safe. We are working with law enforcement to learn more as this situation develops. We are thankful for the swift actions taken by local officers to keep our family, neighbors, and local community secure.”

A pipe bomb threat targeting me and my family at our home today was sent in with a pro-Palestinian themed message. My family and I were not home at the time and are safe. We are working with law enforcement to learn more as this situation develops. We are thankful for the swift…

— Lee Zeldin (@LeeMZeldin) November 27, 2024

The FBI said in a statement that they were “aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners. We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement.”

In a statement, the FBI says it “is aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners. We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of…

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) November 27, 2024

Trump has named a majority of his cabinet in the month following his victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. 

The president-elect tapped Jamieson Greer on Tuesday to serve as United States Trade Representative (USTR). The same day, he added Dr. Kevin A. Hassett as director of the White House Economic Council, John Phelan as United States secretary of the Navy, Jay Bhattacharya to serve as director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Jim O’Neill as deputy secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). (RELATED: ‘Speak Their Language’: Insiders Explain How Trump Can Use ‘NeoCon’ Cabinet Picks To Advance MAGA Agenda)

The biggest wave of picks came Friday when the president-elect announced the coveted cabinet spots the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Labor and his national security team. Trump’s highest profile picks include Republican Florida Rep. Marco Rubio for Secretary of State and Republican South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem for Department of Homeland Security.

This article has been updated to include new details surrounding the threats of violence.