Biden Administration Continues Security for Pompeo and Hook

In a move to counter persistent threats from Iran, the Biden administration has renewed taxpayer-funded security for two prominent figures from the Trump administration: former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Iran envoy Brian Hook. The State Department, under the guidance of Deputy Secretary of State for Management Richard Verma, has extended protection to Hook 16 times and to Pompeo 13 times since they left their official roles. This decision was communicated to Congress on December 19 and transmitted on December 22, with the security details costing over $2 million per month as of March 2022.

The rationale behind these measures stem from serious and credible threats from Iran, particularly due to Pompeo and Hook's involvement in the Trump administration's Iran policy. This included the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a "foreign terrorist organization" and the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani. Rising tensions in the Middle East further exacerbate the security situation, especially with recent incidents such as Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza and mysterious blasts in Iran during a memorial service for Soleimani.

Meanwhile, geopolitical dynamics shift as Russia intensifies missile attacks against Ukraine, aiming to deplete Ukraine's stocks of Patriot air-defense ammunition—a critical component of Ukraine's defense against Russian strikes. The U.S. Congress has stalled on supplying further ammunition, with Senate Republicans blocking additional funding for Ukraine, tying approval to their own demands for funding for the U.S. southern border. Ukraine, however, remains hopeful of receiving more Patriot systems from Western allies, having already benefited from five Patriot missile batteries from the U.S., Germany, and the Netherlands.

As defense analysts ponder whether Russia's intensified attacks are timed with the U.S. Congress's aid deliberations, experts like Keir Giles from Chatham House express skepticism about a direct synchronization but acknowledge that the uncertainty of U.S. support complicates Ukraine's defense planning.

As these political and legal dramas unfold, the security of former Trump administration officials, the precarious situation in Ukraine, continue to dominate headlines.

Conservative Bias:

Folks, here we have the Biden administration, in a blatant display of hypocrisy, shelling out millions of taxpayer dollars to protect Trump-era patriots from Iranian threats, while they sit on their hands and do nothing to secure our own borders. Mike Pompeo and Brian Hook, who had the backbone to stand up to the Iranian regime, are now being targeted because of their unwavering American resolve. And what do the Democrats do? They'd rather focus on protecting these men than protecting American citizens from the crisis at our southern border. Meanwhile, they're dragging their feet on aiding Ukraine, a key ally against Russian aggression, because they're too busy playing politics.

Liberal Bias:

Once again, the Republicans show their true colors—refusing to support our allies in Ukraine in their time of need, all while hiding behind their so-called 'border security' demands. It's a disgrace that they're holding vital defense aid hostage, jeopardizing Ukraine's resistance against Putin's brutal regime. And as for the Biden administration's decision to provide security for Pompeo and Hook, it's nothing but a necessary response to the dangerous situation these two men created with their aggressive and reckless foreign policy.