US pays $2M a month to protect Pompeo, aide from Iran threat

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department says it’s paying more than $2 million per month to provide 24-hour security to former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and a former top aide, both of whom face “serious and credible” threats from Iran.

The department told Congress in a report that the cost of protecting Pompeo and former Iran envoy Brian Hook between August 2021 and February 2022 amounted to $13.1 million. The report, dated Feb. 14 and marked “sensitive but unclassified,” was obtained by The Associated Press on Saturday.

Pompeo and Hook led the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran and the report says U.S. intelligence assesses that the threats to them have remained constant since they left government and could intensify. The threats have persisted even as President Joe Biden's administration has been engaged in indirect negotiations with Iran over a U.S. return to a landmark 2015 nuclear deal.

As a former secretary of state, Pompeo was automatically given 180 days of protection by the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security after leaving office. But that protection has been repeatedly extended in 60-day increments by Secretary of State Antony Blinken due to “a serious and credible threat from a foreign power or agent of a foreign power arising from duties performed by former Secretary Pompeo while employed by the department,” the report said.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/us-pays-dollar2m-a-month-to-protect-pompeo-aide-from-iran-threat/ar-AAUZ0ey

Would it be a loss if they got him?

[Ohio Joe]

1. I'm willing to risk it...

Hell… I’d even spring for a nice funeral for the rotten old fucker.

[Turbineguy]

2. That explains his idiotic utterances.

He's trying to give us our money's worth.

[atreides1]

3. Serious and credible threat, my ass!!!

With "proof" likely provided by Trumpers still working for the federal government!

Pompeo needs to stop taking welfare from the government and pay for his own security!!!

[jimfields33]

4. I don't think this should be broadcasted out at all

Lives are clearly in danger and the president knows this is being done.

[BComplex]

8. I just wish they'd broadcast his location.

[jimfields33]

21. Too funny.

[Wingus Dingus]

10. Pompeo is a Russian asset. I don't give a fuck what happens to this traitor.

[paleotn]

5. Cost saving measure....

I'm sure the budget hawks would agree. Maybe not.

[DURHAM D]

6. Putin owns him. Let him pay the freight. nt

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. If they got Pompeo, you'd never hear the end of it. Righties would claim it was a Democratic hit

Or a Deep State hit. Despite that half of them think that Pompeo is scum because he is supposedly Deep State.

Do not need complications like that, nor the encouragement it would provide to bad actors.

[Sneederbunk]

9. A one-way ticket for Pompous to Iran would be cheaper.

[Calculating]

11. Let them have him

I'll allow it.

[gratuitous]

12. Assuming this is true (and I have no reason to think it's not)

I wonder why Mr. FirstinhisclassatWestPoint keeps making public appearances and popping off with his ignorant thoughts that nobody cares about? Seems like he's unnecessarily courting danger by doing that, and costing the American taxpayer even more money to protect his worthless hide.

Additionally, this would appear to be a case where a person's crimes against humanity might result in serious adverse consequences. Too bad, so sad, Mike. Pay for your own security, you blood-gargling psychopath.

[Faux pas]

13. Just

another waste of taxpayer money.

[Lettuce Be]

14. I for one do not want my tax dollars going for this -- it should not be extended any longer

[NBachers]

15. Change the shitheads' names and stash them someplace in the Witless Protection Program. Give them

jobs cleaning up the late shift in the slaughterhouse.

Let them pay their own goddamn way.

[DFW]

16. I'm sure the Iranian leadership is actuely aware of the situation

Once they hear of this, they will have a secret strategy planning session, saying, "remind me again, WHO is this clown Pompeo, and why is it we are supposed to be interested in him?"

[Behind the Aegis]

24. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

[Bev54]

17. If he needs to be protected tell them to sit his fat ass down in a bunker somewhere

until the threat passes.

[kentuck]

18. Not a very good return...

...on the investment.

[NCjack]

19. $2M a year protection money is a good reason to accelerate his prosecution. We should

be able to jail him for less than 10% of that cost.

[SWBTATTReg]

20. Under what conditions is this really happening (the 24-hour security etc.), law of Congress,

etc. is this happening? Even tRump's kids lost their secret service details after a certain amount of time, that's why I'm asking, that is, it seems weird that tRump's kids are not worth the additional protections vs. what a relatively obscure US official (out of thousands and thousands of US officials that are out there, who receive Zero protection) is receiving. I know that quote, "serious and credible threat" were received but still...

pompeo is one tiny cog in the mix...of all things tRump. According to the article, maximum pressure exerted by the tRump admin. would apply to every single tRump admin. official. If you can't get a big turkey, go for the smaller ones, so to speak. I do recall that after the significant and successful efforts of Kerry, in working w/ Iran, and then tRump, in one fell swoop (along w/ his a&& hat republicans in Congress), destroyed any future prospects of dealing w/ Iran basically by mouthing off, as they usually do.

[karynnj]

22. Would it be a loss? Said another way, it would be a political and diplomatic disaster for Biden

As disgusting as Pompeo is -- if as a former US SoS, he was assassinated, what would that do for any potential nuclear deal and beyond that, what would the US response be?

[Samrob]

23. Cut it off now! Let the savvy Putin protect them. nt

[Arazi]

25. Completely self-inflicted and a policy position he still endorses

Let him endure the consequences then