Several Trump administration picks targeted with bomb threats and ‘swatting’, FBI confirms – live updates

Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he chose Keith Kellogg to serve as a special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, a newly created role as the two countries remain at war and the US’s support for Ukraine will be a key decision for Trump’s incoming administration.

Kellogg previously served as a national security adviser to Trump and to former vice president Mike Pence in Trump’s first term.

“I am very pleased to nominate General Keith Kellogg to serve as Assistant to the President and Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Keith has led a distinguished Military and Business career, including serving in highly sensitive National Security roles in my first Administration. He was with me right from the beginning! Together, we will secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, and Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!”

The choice comes after reports last week that Trump was considering Richard Grenell for the role. Grenell served as intelligence chief during Trump’s first term.

More members of Trump’s cabinet have emerged as subjects of bomb threats today. So far, those known to have had their residences targeted are:

• Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary and part of his transition team, whose home was threatened, Bronx outlet News 12 reported.

• Lee Zeldin, the environmental protection agency pick, who saw his Long Island home threatened, News 12 in Long Island reported.

• Matt Gaetz, the initial nominee for attorney general who has since withdrawn, had his Florida home targeted, various news reports said.

• Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, Trump’s UN ambassador choice, confirmed her home in New York was targeted.

• Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary pick, whose home was targeted.

Those targeted appear to be physically safe, and law enforcement has responded to check their homes for any devices or threats, several outlets have reported.

The FBI has confirmed bomb threats and swatting incidents against Trump cabinet picks.

In a statement, the agency said it is “aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees” and working with other law enforcement agencies to respond.

“We take all potential threats seriously and, as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement,” the statement said.

Martin Pengelly

Fox News has welcomed the dismissal of a defamation case brought by Ray Epps, a Donald Trump supporter who became the subject of a rightwing conspiracy theory about the January 6 attack.

A Fox News Media statement referred to other dismissed lawsuits when it said: “Following the dismissals of the Jankowicz, Bobulinski, and now Epps cases, Fox News is pleased with these back-to-back decisions from federal courts preserving the press freedoms of the first amendment.”

Epps, now 63, is a former US marine and ex-member of the Oath Keepers militia who traveled from Arizona to Washington on 6 January 2021, as Trump sought to overturn his 2020 defeat by Joe Biden. Epps was eventually sentenced to probation for his role in the attack on Congress that ensued, a riot linked to nine deaths and over which Trump was impeached but acquitted.

After becoming subject to claims he was a covert government agent who stirred Trump supporters to cause trouble, Epps was forced into hiding.

At his own sentencing, Epps said: “I have learned that truth is not always found in the places that I used to trust.”

He filed suit against Fox in July last year. The suit said: “In the aftermath of the events of January 6, Fox News searched for a scapegoat to blame other than Donald Trump or the Republican party. Eventually, they turned on one of their own.”

The suit cited Fox News hosts including Laura Ingraham and Will Cain but most prominently Tucker Carlson, who it said “was bluntly telling his viewers that it was a fact that Epps was a government informant. And they believed him.”

Carlson was not a target of the suit – a lawyer for Epps said he “was an employee of Fox when he lied about Ray, and Fox broadcast those defamatory falsehoods. Fox is therefore fully liable for Mr Carlson’s statements.”

Carlson was fired by Fox in April 2023, shortly after it settled (for $787.5m) a defamation suit brought by Dominion Voting Systems over the advancement of Trump’s electoral fraud lie.

Carlson has since flourished as an independent voice in far-right media, retaining influence with Trump as the president-elect prepares to return to power in January.

Pete Hegseth, nominated to be Donald Trump’s defense secretary, was among several cabinet nominees and appointees of the president-elect who were targeted with bomb threats and so-called swatting on Wednesday, the Guardian has learned.

A report also emerged that former congressman Matt Gaetz, who was briefly Trump’s first choice for US attorney general but stood aside after eight days amid a sexual misconduct scandal, was also targeted.

A spokesperson for Trump confirmed threats against some of his cabinet picks but did not initially give any names or say how many people had received threats.

But Hegseth, the military veteran steeped in controversy over his conservative views after being selected, was understood to be among the number, according to two people familiar with the developments.

Elise Stefanik, the congresswoman and Trump’s appointee for ambassador to the United Nations, confirmed on X that there was a bomb threat at her home.

“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,” her X post says.

Law enforcement responded immediately, she noted, “with the highest levels of professionalism.”