President Donald Trump stated that the United States moved its bombers out of RAF Fairford due to "some threats" to the base. The Pentagon confirmed on Sunday that it had removed approximately a dozen B-1 bombers from the base back to their home stations in the United States. Speaking to reporters as he departed for Nebraska on Monday, Trump indicated that the US was aware of a "threat" that prompted the relocation of the bombers.
A spokesperson from No 10 had earlier asserted that RAF Fairford was safe and referenced Trump's previous praise of the UK's security services in relation to the base. Reports from US media suggested that the withdrawal of the bombers followed a significant incident on September 27, when police were alerted to three "suspicious vehicles" near the airbase.
When asked if a "specific threat" led to the withdrawal, Trump affirmed, "Yeah I think we can say that. They didn't fly out by accident. There were some threats. And rather than tempting the enemy, we'll capture the enemy and beat the enemy. But why should we leave them there? So we moved them around a little bit. Not very far."
Trump mentioned that Washington was aware of the individuals who made the threat but did not disclose their identities. The exact nature of the threat remains unclear, but sources in Washington speculated to the BBC that it could involve sabotage attempts or strikes against the aircraft amid potential hostilities with Iran. One source referenced Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb, a covert drone attack on Russian bases, as an example of possible enemy actions.
Trump's remarks contrasted with those of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who characterized the movement of military assets as "not unusual" and emphasized that the US had full confidence in the security of its bases. Rubio noted that military units often rotate and are moved globally based on various factors.
RAF Fairford, located in Gloucestershire, has been the focus of a counter-terror investigation. Five men were initially arrested on suspicion of terror offenses and later released on bail, while a sixth man, a UK-Iranian national, was also arrested and released. Following the release of the initial five men, Trump criticized the decision and suggested potential Iranian involvement.
Whitehall sources confirmed that the decision to withdraw the bombers was linked to the incident at the airbase, although Rubio refrained from directly connecting the two events. He reiterated that military asset movement is common and based on operational needs.
Vance, a US official, stated that the bombers were relocated out of an "abundance of caution" due to concerns regarding Iran's historical actions against the US. Prime Minister Andy Burnham indicated that there were "strong indications" of Iranian involvement in the incident, while Rubio mentioned foreign actor involvement without providing specifics. Iran has denied any connection to the incident.
RAF Fairford has served as a forward operating location for the US Air Force for decades. The recent redeployment of bombers from the base may reduce the US's capacity to respond quickly to threats in the region, according to Christoph Bergs, a research analyst at the Royal United Services Institute. The base's use has been limited to defensive strikes, as per UK stipulations, and any future deployment would depend on various logistical and security factors.