This article has been updated to reflect a pipe bomb threat that former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) says he's received.
On Wednesday morning, the Trump-Vance transition team announced that President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet member nominees and appointees were targeted in violent threats. The threats were said to have occurred on Tuesday night and Wednesday.
"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,'" began a statement from Karoline Leavitt, the transition team's spokesperson. "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's statement also concluded by noting that the team will not be deterred. "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.
— Karoline Leavitt (@karolineleavitt) November 27, 2024
"Nearly a dozen of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet nominees and other appointees tapped for the incoming administration were targeted Tuesday night," a report from Fox News mentioned. "Local law enforcement officials responded to the threats and visited the homes of several nominees and appointees, Fox News Digital has learned," the report added.
Also on Wednesday morning, the office of House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY), who has been nominated to serve as Trump's ambassador to the United Nations, released a statement sharing that she was informed her home had been targeted by a bomb threat.
"This morning, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, her husband, and their three year old son were driving home to Saratoga County from Washington for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their residence. New York State, County law enforcement, and U.S. Capitol Police responded immediately with the highest levels of professionalism. We are incredibly appreciative of the extraordinary dedication of law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe 24/7. We want to share our best 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 over the holiday season," Stefanik's office communicated.
Office of Chairwoman Stefanik released the following statement:
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) November 27, 2024
“This morning, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, her husband, and their three year old son were driving home to Saratoga County from Washington for Thanksgiving when they were informed of a bomb threat to their…
On Wednesday afternoon, former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY), who has been nominated to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. (EPA), released a statement about how his family had been the target of a pipe bomb.
"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 actions taken by local officers to keep our family, neighbors, and local community secure," Zeldin said in a statement.
Trump himself has been the target of two assassination attempts as the Republican nominee. He was shot in the ear on July 13 during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which also resulted in the death of Corey Comperatore and several others being injured. On September 15, Ryan Wesley Routh allegedly plotted to assassinate Trump at his golf course in West Palm Beach. He has been charged and is currently behind bars.
As Mia covered earlier on Wednesday, Routh sent letters to POLITICO and The Palm Beach Post, which refers to Trump as "a dictator," using similar language that President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, as well as Democratic allies in the media and other top Democrats, have used.
Routh had also put out a separate screed against Trump, which the Department of Justice (DOJ) decided to make public not long after the second assassination attempt in a move that shocked many legal experts.