The Trump transition team said Wednesday that some of newly elected President Donald Trump Cabinet and administration choices were the target of nighttime attacks that ranged from “swatting incidents to make bomb threats.
Trump transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that law enforcement and other authorities responded quickly to the reported threats to ensure the safety of targeted people in Trump’s orbit. “Swatting” is the act of falsely calling emergency services in an attempt to dispatch armed police officers to a specific address or target in a threatening manner.
“Last night and this morning, several of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and Administration appointees were targeted with violent, un-American threats against their lives and those who live with them,” Leavitt said in a statement. “These attacks ranged from bomb threats to ‘swatting’. In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those targeted. President Trump and the entire transition team are grateful for their quick action.”
Leavitt did not provide details on who was targeted or where, but Rep. Elise StefanikTrump’s choice to… US Ambassador to the United Nationswas one of the targets, her office said, with a bomb threat against her home in New York.
“This morning, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, her husband and their three-year-old son were driving from Washington to Saratoga County for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat at their home,” Stefanik’s office said in a statement Wednesday morning. “New York State, the County Police, and the U.S. Capitol Police immediately responded with the highest level of professionalism. We are incredibly grateful for the extraordinary dedication of law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe 24/7. We want to give our best sharing wishes to the Upstate NY community for a happy and safe Thanksgiving. We are especially grateful to our law enforcement officers and military families who are on duty during the holiday season.
The house of Howard LutnickTrump’s choice to become commerce secretary and transition adviser was also threatened, according to New York police. NYPD said a 911 call came in reporting a terrorist bomb threat at his home.
The FBI said in a statement that it is aware of “numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting new nominees and appointees” and is working with law enforcement partners.
“We take all potential threats seriously and as always we encourage the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement,” the agency said.
The White House, the Department of Homeland Security and the US Capitol Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The incidents come months after Trump himself was targeted in two attempted murder —one in Butler, Paon July 13, which injured him and another on September 15, when a man was arrested with a firearm 500-700 yards away from Trump on his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. And on Tuesday, the Justice Department said an Arizona man was arrested on Nov. 21 for allegedly making threats against Trump and his family.
Since Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, he has done just that announced most of his choices for top posts in his administration as he prepares to return to the White House. Some selections have been the subject of scrutiny, with questions raised about their viability in the Senate confirmation process. One choice, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration last week.
Robert Legare and Nicole Sganga contributed to this report.
