WASHINGTON — Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his close aide, Brian Hook, have had their government security protection revoked by President Donald Trump, a decision prompted by threats from Iran stemming from their hardline policies during Trump’s administration. This change, confirmed by a congressional staffer and another source familiar with the situation who spoke anonymously, was communicated to Pompeo and Hook on a Wednesday, with the revocation taking effect at 11 p.m. that evening.
This action reflects Trump’s intentions as he returns to the White House, focusing on perceived enemies. Just a day prior to this decision, Trump eliminated the security clearance and Secret Service protection for John Bolton, his former national security adviser who was dismissed during Trump’s first term. Bolton, who has also received threats from Iran, expressed disappointment over Trump’s decision but indicated that he was not surprised. The move comes after the former national security advisor authored a book detailing his experiences in the administration, a publication the White House attempted to block.
Additionally, Trump has stripped security clearances from numerous former intelligence officials who had signed a 2020 letter asserting that the claims surrounding Hunter Biden’s laptop seemed characteristic of a “Russian disinformation operation.” Displeased with Pompeo for some time, Trump had previously asserted that Pompeo would not be part of his new administration, and recently indicated Hook’s termination from his role on the board of the Wilson Center, a think tank.
Responding to inquiries about the cancellation of security for Pompeo and Hook, Trump remarked to reporters, “Do you want to have a large detail of people guarding people for the rest of their lives? I mean, there are risks to everything.” This statement echoed the reasoning he provided regarding Bolton’s detail.
Both Pompeo and Hook have yet to provide comments on this significant change in their security status. The State Department, under the Biden administration, had ensured that they received 24/7 protection from the Diplomatic Security Service since leaving office on January 21, 2021. The last authorization for this protection was issued on October 21.
Pompeo and Hook represented the U.S.’s “maximum pressure” strategy against Iran after Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, which had initially aimed to relieve sanctions in return for limiting Iran’s nuclear activities. Both officials are particularly blamed by Iran for the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, a commander in the Iran Revolutionary Guard, in early January 2020.
Reports indicate that the State Department had been spending over $2 million monthly on their security detail. Although later accounts omitted specific financial figures, it was noted that threats against both Pompeo and Hook were considered “serious and credible,” thus warranting the continued provision of their security setups.
In recent briefings, Biden administration officials informed Trump’s team about the persistent threats posed by Iran toward Pompeo, Hook, Bolton, and others, emphasizing the rationale for maintaining their security measures. An anonymous former senior Biden official commented on the situation, describing the determination to revoke their protection as “highly irresponsible,” underscoring the awareness within Trump’s team of the ongoing risks faced by these former officials.
