Former President Donald Trump was reportedly briefed by top U.S. intelligence officials about threats from Iran to assassinate him. The Trump campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung, stated that the threats were real and specific, with a goal to destabilize and sow chaos in the United States. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not immediately respond to requests for comments, and Iran’s mission to the U.N. also did not respond.
In response to the threats, U.S. law enforcement agencies have increased security around Trump. Earlier in the year, there was intelligence about an Iranian plot to assassinate him, though no connection was found to an attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania. In August, Trump had mentioned refusing intel briefings to avoid leaks, but it is unclear if he has since resumed regular briefings.
There was a second apparent attempt on Trump’s life in Florida, leading to the suspect, Ryan Routh, being charged with attempted assassination of a presidential candidate. Concurrently, the Senate unanimously passed a bill to provide major presidential candidates like Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris with the same level of protection as President Joe Biden. The bill now awaits Biden’s signature, as he has previously stated that the Secret Service needs more help.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
