President Donald Trump of the United States has revoked the security detail for Mark T. Esper, a former defence secretary.
Esper is among several officials who are facing threats from Iran due to the actions they took on behalf of Trump during his first term.
Upon assuming office as president, Trump began withdrawing the security details from nearly half a dozen people who had served in his first term.
US intelligence claimed that Iran had sought revenge against American officials involved in the drone strike that killed Iran’s General Qassim Soleimani in early January 2020.
Esper was protected by federal officials due to ongoing threats from Iran.
Four other officials from Trump’s first administration facing Iranian threats also had their details pulled.
The others are: John R. Bolton, Trump’s third national security adviser; Mike Pompeo, the former secretary of state; Brian Hook, one of Pompeo’s top aides and a specialist on Iran; and retired Gen. Mark A. Milley, whom Trump picked to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Those security details were provided by the Biden administration based on assessments from the intelligence community that the threats from Iran were ongoing and credible.
The Biden administration had briefed the incoming Trump administration about the threats.
Trump also pulled protection from Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the infectious diseases expert who had advised the White House on its response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump withdraws security details from ex-US Defense Secretary Esper
