Trump Says Threats Prompted Removal of U.S. Bombers From British Base
President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States moved all its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in southern England over the weekend because of threats to the aircraft. His comments followed arrests near the base in an investigation into a suspected terrorist plot.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said the bombers had not departed by accident and that U.S. officials knew who had made the threats. Asked whether those people were linked to Iran, he said they would be. He did not publicly identify the suspects or describe the threats.
A Defense Department official earlier confirmed that the bombers had returned to their home stations in the United States but gave no reason for the redeployment. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said before Trump’s remarks that he did not believe the move was directly connected to the Fairford investigation and expressed confidence in U.S. base security. A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the base remained safe.
British police arrested five U.K. nationals on September 27 on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offenses after receiving a report about suspicious vehicles heading toward Fairford. They later arrested a dual British-Iranian national in London on October 1 in connection with the investigation. All six have been released on bail. Counterterrorism police say possible foreign-state involvement is one line of inquiry and caution against premature conclusions.
Burnham said there were strong indications Iran played a part. Iran denies involvement. The differing accounts come as Fairford remains an established location for U.S. bombers in Europe. The base has supported American military operations in earlier conflicts and was authorized for strikes on Iranian missile sites this year. University of Birmingham professor David Dunn described the withdrawal as unusual and said it suggested concern about the security of aircraft deployed abroad while the investigation continues.