Trump yanks security protection for former top diplomat Mike Pompeo
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Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has had his security detail withdrawn by US President Donald Trump.
PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump has revoked US security protection for Mr Mike Pompeo, who served as secretary of state in his first administration and had been a loyal Trump ally before considering a challenge to his presidential campaign.
A source familiar with the situation confirmed earlier reports that Mr Pompeo’s security detail had been withdrawn.
The New York Times first reported that security for Mr Pompeo, as well as former Iran envoy Brian Hook, was pulled on Jan 21, citing four sources familiar with the situation.
Mr Trump, who took office on Jan 20, said this week that he had withdrawn protection for his former national security adviser, Mr John Bolton, telling reporters: “We are not going to have security on people for the rest of their lives.”
All three men served in Trump’s first administration and led policy on Iran in particular.
US authorities have alleged Iran has plotted to murder Mr Bolton and Mr Trump, charges Iran denies.
In 2022, after Mr Trump left office, the United States charged a member of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps with plotting to murder Mr Bolton, who Trump dismissed in 2019 before his White House term ended in January 2021.
In November, the US Justice Department charged an Iranian man in connection with an alleged plot ordered by the IRGC to assassinate Mr Trump, then US president-elect.
Representatives for Mr Pompeo could not immediately be reached for comment.
Representatives for the US State Department did not immediately return requests for comment.
Mr Trump earlier this week also said he had “fired” Mr Hook from a post at the congressionally-chartered Wilson Centre diplomacy think-tank.
Mr Hook has not responded to requests for comment.
A member of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps was charged in 2022 with plotting to murder former national security adviser John Bolton.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
After winning the presidential election, Mr Trump said he would not ask Mr Pompeo to join his administration this time around.
Mr Pompeo had served as Mr Trump’s Central Intelligence Agency director before moving to helm the US State Department.
Since leaving Trump’s first administration, he has served on the board of Kyivsta and advised Nippon Steel, and visited Kyiv. REUTERS
