Donald Trump has said a “specific threat” led the United States to withdraw its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford after an alleged terror plot targeting the Gloucestershire base was reportedly foiled.
The Pentagon confirmed on Sunday that the aircraft stationed at RAF Fairford had been “redeployed to their home stations in the US”.
The move followed the arrests of six people over the previous week in connection with a suspected plot against the airbase.
Trump later acknowledged that the bombers “didn’t fly out by accident”, saying they had been moved because of a “threat”. His comments appeared to contrast with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had played down any link between the redeployment and the arrests just hours earlier.
Speaking to reporters as he left the White House on Monday, Trump said: “There were some threats and, rather than tempting the enemy, we’ll capture the enemy and beat the enemy.
“Why should we leave them [the aircraft] there? So we moved them around a little bit, not very far.”
Rubio had earlier insisted that the decision to remove the bombers was not “directly tied” to last week’s incident in Gloucestershire.
He said: “I wouldn’t directly tie that [the incident at RAF Fairford] to the move which was made.
President Donald Trump is pictured boarding Air Force One after speaking to reporters on Monday
B-1 bombers take off from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire as they depart for the US
A B-1 bomber leaves RAF Fairford as the United States withdraws its aircraft from the base
“It’s not unusual to see rotations take place, or assets to be moved to different parts of the world for exercises and redeployment.
“We have confidence in the security of all our bases. Theoretically, any of them could be threatened at any moment, which is why such extensive security measures are in place.
“We have worked very closely with the British for a very long time, including on this investigation, and they couldn’t have been more cooperative.”
US officials told the New York Times that the redeployment had been ordered after more specific information about threats to the base emerged over the weekend. The B-1 bombers had been involved in strikes on Iran.
Asked on Monday whether RAF Fairford was safe, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman replied: “Yes.”
He also cited comments from Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, who said there were “tried and tested approaches to defend our bases around the country and throughout the world”. However, the spokesman declined to comment further on the military operations of “foreign nations”.
Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance, speaking as he left Washington for Alaska, said the redeployment was intended to protect American personnel.
He said: “We do feel with some confidence that the Iranians are trying to do what the Iranian state has done for 49 years, which is engage in acts of terrorism against the United States (and others), so we are being extremely cautious.”
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The five British nationals, all in their mid-20s, who were arrested near the base on September 27 have since been released on bail.
A sixth man, a 25-year-old dual UK-Iranian national, arrested on October 1, has also been released on bail.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said last week there were ‘strong indications’ that Iran played a part in the incident.
A Pentagon official said on Sunday: ‘US Air Force bombers routinely operate around the world to support global force readiness and operational requirements.
JD Vance insisted the US was just ‘trying to protect our guys’ by withdrawing its bombers from RAF Fairford
The five British men are arrested near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire early on September 27
The three white vans are investigated by a robot after the alleged plot near RAF Fairford
‘While operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real time, we can acknowledge now that all US bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have redeployed to their home stations in the United States.
‘The airmen that operate America’s bomber force, including B-1s, B-2s, and B-52s, remain ready to deliver precision global strike capabilities – including through operations that launch and recover from the continental United States – anywhere, anytime.’
The Liberal Democrats urged the Government to ‘get a grip’ on security at military bases in the wake of the US withdrawal, saying the move raised ‘serious concerns about security standards’.
Lib Dem defence spokesman James MacCleary said: ‘With three bases breached in the past year alone, this is not something the Defence Secretary, or the country, can afford to ignore.’
US bombers have been stationed at RAF Fairford in recent months after former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer granted Washington permission to use British bases for ‘defensive’ strikes against Tehran during the Middle East war.
Counter-terror police have said a quantity of petrol but no explosive devices were found in the vans that sparked the security alert.
On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed Israel had handed Britain intelligence about the suspected terror plot.
Mr Netanyahu said his country warned UK authorities about the ‘Iranian-sponsored attack’ shortly before Britain’s announcement of a ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Earlier in the week, Trump said he was ‘disappointed’ after the five men were released on bail.
He told reporters: ‘We were involved in (the investigation), but as you know, your fellow countrymen let them go.
‘Well, they didn’t let them go. They put them out on bail. I assume they haven’t watched closely… they should not have done that.’