FBI tells of 'numerous' bomb threats against Trump nominees

Trump transition team calls threats to cabinet nominations and administration appointees 'un-American'

US president-elect Donald Trump's choices for his new administration faced threats this week. Reuters

US national law enforcement on Wednesday confirmed that president-elect Donald Trump's choices for his new cabinet and administration faced threats this week.

“The FBI is aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners,” the FBI said in a statement.

Swatting is when a false emergency call results in a heavily armed police response at a person's home.

Mr Trump has announced most of his presidential cabinet choices and continues to share who will join his administration when he is sworn into office in January.

Trump transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said several nominees and appointees “were targeted in violent, un-American threats to their lives and those who live with them”, on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.

“In response, law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted,” Ms Leavitt said. “President Trump and the entire transition team are grateful for their swift action.”

Mr Trump has not publicly commented on the incidents. He has faced death threats, including two known assassination attempts during his campaign. Ms Leavitt did not say who the targets were.

Representative Elise Stefanik, who is being nominated as the US ambassador to the UN, said in a statement that she and her family were travelling to their home in New York when they were alerted to a bomb threat at their residence, to which local police responded.

Lee Zeldin, who is nominated as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, said a pipe bomb threat was sent to his home "with a pro-Palestinian themed message", which law enforcement addressed.

CNN and Fox News reported on a bomb threat seeming to be against former congressman Matt Gaetz's home in Florida. But he removed his name from Mr Trump's nomination for attorney general days ago.

NBC News reported that US authorities viewed the swatting incidents as not credible and said they did not pose a physical threat towards those at whom they were aimed, quoting senior law-enforcement officials.