Trump Says US Knows Who Threatened RAF Fairford As Bombers Withdrawn

Trump made the remarks to reporters at the White House after the Pentagon confirmed that U.S. bombers deployed at the Gloucestershire airbase had been moved back to bases in the United States. The aircraft had recently been used in U.S. strikes against Iran.

“There were some threats,” Trump said, defending the decision to relocate the bombers rather than leave them exposed. He said the United States had moved the aircraft“a little bit” and suggested the decision was intended to prevent an adversary from targeting the aircraft and U.S. personnel.

The withdrawal followed the arrest of five British men near RAF Fairford on suspicion of terrorism-related offences, as well as the separate arrest of a British-Iranian dual national in London. All six have since been released on bail while investigations continue.

U.S. officials cited by media said intelligence indicated a possible Iranian drone attack against the base. The exact nature and timing of the alleged threat remain unclear, and it has not been established publicly whether the recent arrests were directly connected to the reported drone threat.

Trump has previously suggested that Iran may have been connected to the security concerns, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio has taken a more cautious position, saying the movement of U.S. military assets can also occur as part of routine rotations and redeployments. Iran has denied involvement in the alleged plot.

RAF Fairford is a key European base for U.S. heavy bombers and has been used to support American military operations in the Middle East. The withdrawal does not prevent the United States from conducting long-range strikes, as the bombers can operate from U.S. bases with aerial refueling, although relocating them farther from the region could affect the speed and logistics of future operations.

The development comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran and growing concerns that Iran-linked threats could extend beyond the Middle East to U.S. and allied military facilities in Europe. The investigation into the Fairford security threat remains ongoing.

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