My Administration Is Working With the FBI to Tackle Hoax Threats Against Lawmakers and Trump’s Cabinet Picks
Efforts Intensify to Combat "Swatting" and False Bomb Threats Targeting Public Figures
President Joe Biden announced on Friday that his administration is collaborating with the FBI to address false threats, including "swatting" and bomb hoaxes, that were reported this week targeting lawmakers and several of former President Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees.
Representative Seth Magaziner, a Democrat from Rhode Island, revealed on Friday that he was the target of a bomb threat at his home. This incident followed similar threats made on Thanksgiving Day against six Democratic lawmakers in Connecticut. Law enforcement confirmed that no explosives were found in any of the cases.
Among those targeted were Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, and Lee Zeldin, chosen to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, who faced threats and "swatting" attempts earlier in the week.
"Swatting" involves making a false report to police, triggering an intense, armed law enforcement response to the victim's location. Experts describe it as a growing form of harassment, especially against high-profile individuals.
"House Democrats will not be intimidated or deterred from serving the public by violent threats," stated House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Friday.
These incidents follow a broader trend of violence targeting prominent figures. In July, former President Trump survived an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. In a separate case in September, a man was charged with attempted assassination after being found with a rifle outside one of Trump’s Florida golf courses.
Speaking from Nantucket, Massachusetts, where he is spending Thanksgiving, Biden told reporters he expects to speak with Trump again during the transi
tion period.
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