A state department in the United States has confirmed that they have been paying around $2 million every month to safeguard Mike Pompeo. It is understood that the former Secretary of State has been facing some serious and credible threats from Iran. The department went on to inform Congress in a report that the price for the protection of Pompeo and top aide Iran envoy Brian Hook between the months of August 2021 and February 2022 amounted to around $13.1 million. The report, which was sent out on the 14th of February was marked sensitive but unclassified and later obtained by the Associated Press.
Mike Pompeo Received Protection That Was Extended Every 60-Days
Mike Pompeo and Brian Hook had been the leaders behind the administration of Trump in its maximum pressure campaign against Iran, with the report stating that the US intelligence had assessed that the threats to their person had been constant since they left the government- with the possibility of it exacerbating.
With Mike Pompeo being a former secretary of state, he was automatically provided with 180 days of protection by the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security after he left office. But that protection was then extended repeatedly in 60-day increments by Anthony Blinken- the Secretary of State. This extension was due to a credible and serious threat from a foreign agent or power that had arisen from duties that were performed by the former secretary while he was employed by the department.
Brian Hook who, along with Mike Pompeo, had often been the public face of the administration of Trump had imposed crippling sanctions against Iran was also granted the special protection by Blinken for the exact same reason as Pompeo- after he left the service of the government. His protection, too, had been extended in 60-day increments.
