United States President Donald Trump has revoked security protections for three pivotal figures from his first-term administration: Mike Pompeo, John Bolton, and Brian Hook. These individuals, known for their hawkish foreign policy stances, served as key advisors during Trump's presidency from 2017 to 2021. The New York Times reported this decision on Thursday after it was made effective late Wednesday at 11 p.m. Eastern Time (04:00 GMT, Thursday).
Mike Pompeo, who served as the former director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), has maintained a comparatively subdued stance concerning Trump. Conversely, John Bolton, who was ousted as national security adviser in 2019, has been vocal in his criticism. In his memoir, Bolton stated,
"A mountain of facts demonstrates that Trump is unfit to be president."
Brian Hook, a former top aide, also openly criticized several of Trump's foreign policy actions.
These three advisors played significant roles in crafting the United States' "maximum pressure" policy towards Iran. Pompeo and Hook were instrumental in shaping the hardline approach that characterized Trump's administration's stance on Iran. Bolton, despite his eventual split from the administration, maintained a similarly stringent position on the matter.
The revocation of their security protections comes amidst reported assassination threats from Iran against these former officials. Sources confirmed that Trump and his team were aware of these threats. Despite this, Trump defended his decision, notably characterizing Bolton as a "very dumb person."
In recent developments, Trump has also rescinded security clearances from dozens of former intelligence officials. These officials had previously signed a letter in 2020 suggesting that the Hunter Biden laptop controversy bore the hallmarks of a "Russian information operation."
Trump's recent actions reflect ongoing tensions with past advisors and intelligence officials who have been critical of his leadership. It remains uncertain whether Trump will adopt a similar approach in any potential future terms.
