In a surprising move, former President Donald Trump has decided to pull the security detail for Mike Pompeo, his former Secretary of State. Pompeo had been under protection due to ongoing threats from Iran, a result of his hardline stance on the country during Trump’s first term. Sources close to the situation confirmed the decision.

This isn’t the first time Trump has made such a call. Just recently, he ended the Secret Service protection for John Bolton, his former national security adviser. When questioned about the move, Trump explained, “When you have protection, you can’t have it for the rest of your life. You don’t want a large detail of people guarding people forever. There are risks to everything.”

Pompeo played a key role in shaping Trump’s tough policies toward Iran, including the controversial drone strike that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in 2020. The Justice Department has noted that Iran has been seeking revenge against top Trump officials like Pompeo and Bolton, even foiling an assassination plot targeting them.

Former intelligence and security officials have expressed alarm over the decision. One warned, “Somebody is going to get killed—there’s a serious Iranian threat against Pompeo and Bolton.” Another suggested the move seemed driven by “pure spite and pettiness,” adding that Trump better hope no harm comes to them.

Meanwhile, Trump himself remains a target of Iran due to the Soleimani operation. His team reportedly requested increased security last summer after being briefed on ongoing threats by the Biden administration.

The situation highlights the complex and often risky fallout from high-stakes foreign policy decisions—and raises questions about the safety of those who carried them out.