The Biden admin hasn’t been shy to weaponize resources against their political enemies. It’s what they do best.
And Joe Biden ordered the Secret Service to do one thing to this Republican that will leave you speechless.
Former U.N. Ambassador and Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, has been dealing with credible threats from Iranian-linked actors for years. Despite this, she remains without security provided by the government, even after a recent revelation on Thursday that brought these threats back into the spotlight.
A source close to Haley disclosed to The Daily Wire that the former South Carolina governor was first informed in 2021 that she had been placed on an Iranian “k*ll list” due to her actions while representing the U.S. at the U.N. During her presidential campaign, the FBI warned Haley that Iran had been targeting her campaign efforts.
Haley publicly acknowledged this during her campaign. In a CBS Face the Nation interview, she revealed that she had been the target of an Iranian-backed “m*rder-for-hire plot,” which was fortunately foiled in July.
“When I was running my presidential campaign the FBI had a separate hearing with me to let me know that Iran was influencing the election with our campaign to hurt me,” she stated. “The m*rder-for-hire plot, named me. That’s by Iran.”
These revelations come at a time when the Secret Service is under scrutiny following an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July. Trump has expressed his intent to include Haley in his team should he secure victory in the upcoming November election, saying she would “absolutely” have a role. Haley also confirmed that she had spoken to Trump in June, reiterating that she was “ready” to campaign for him if needed.
The source close to Haley also shared that she had approached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for protection on January 26, 2024, following an uptick in threats against her campaign. One particularly disturbing incident occurred when a would-be attacker attempted to force his way into her car during a rally in New Hampshire. Although security intervened, the individual continued to appear at other events. In addition, anti-Israel protesters turned violent against Haley’s staff and attendees at other rallies.
Haley’s home in South Carolina has also been targeted on multiple occasions by unknown individuals, according to the source. The threats against her have been deemed credible by law enforcement.
In February, the Candidate Protection Advisory Committee reviewed Haley’s request for a security detail. While the committee voted in favor of granting her protection, the final decision was left to Mayorkas. However, Haley never received a response and subsequently suspended her campaign on March 6.
Other high-profile figures from the Trump administration, such as former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top aide Brian Hook, who have faced similar threats from Iran, have received government-provided security.
In fact, Pompeo had his security detail renewed for the 13th time in December 2023. Former national security advisors John Bolton and Robert O’Brien have also been protected by the Secret Service due to ongoing Iranian threats. Bolton, who left the White House in 2019, did not receive security until 2021, after Iranian-linked plots were uncovered.
The FBI confirmed in July that Asif Merchant, a 46-year-old Pakistani national with ties to Iran, had been arrested for attempting to hire a hitman to k*ll a politician and steal documents. Merchant was caught after offering $5,000 to undercover agents for the hit, which he planned to organize once he left the United States. Although the FBI did not reveal the intended target, this case further highlights the ongoing threat from Iran-backed actors.
Just this past Thursday, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) released new details on an Iranian plot to assassinate U.S. politicians, including President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, and Haley. Grassley, who obtained these unclassified FBI records through whistleblower disclosures, said that Trump, Biden, and Haley were floated as possible targets.
This plot was reportedly hatched in retaliation for the Trump administration’s 2020 assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, a key figure behind Iran’s military operations in the Middle East. Haley, who supported Soleimani’s assassination, celebrated his death, stating that it left the Iranian regime’s leaders “shaking in their boots.”
In January 2022, Iran sanctioned Haley, marking the second anniversary of Soleimani’s death. Haley responded to the sanctions on social media, calling them a “badge of honor.” “When you get sanctioned by Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terror, you know you’re doing something right,” Haley tweeted.
Meanwhile, Grassley has been pushing for answers from federal agencies. In a recent press release, he expressed frustration over an “inconclusive” DHS-FBI briefing, calling for more transparency and stressing the urgency of protecting American political leaders.
“Bad actors are determined to wreak havoc on our country, and American political leaders across both parties are sitting squarely in the crosshairs,” Grassley said. “In this extraordinarily heightened threat environment, federal agencies ought to be laser-focused on building up public trust and reassuring the American people of their efforts to carry out their protective missions.”
As Haley continues to navigate these threats, questions remain as to why she, unlike others, has not been granted government protection by the Biden admin. For now, Haley stands ready to continue her work, even under the looming shadow of potential danger.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
