LONDON: US President Donald Trump has said “some threats” prompted Washington to withdraw its bombers from RAF Fairford in England, confirming earlier reports that the aircraft were moved from the base because of security concerns.
The Pentagon confirmed on Sunday that the US had removed its bombers, believed to include about a dozen B-1 aircraft, from RAF Fairford and returned them to their home stations in the United States.
Speaking to reporters on Monday as he left for Nebraska, Trump said the US had been aware of a threat and decided to move the aircraft rather than leave them exposed.
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Reporter: Are they linked to Iran?
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— Megatron (@Megatron_ron) October 5, 2026
“There were some threats,” Trump said. “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 also said Washington knew who had made the threat but did not identify those responsible.
Threat Remains Unclear
The precise nature of the threat remains unclear.
US media reports, citing unnamed officials, said a potential attack may have been aimed at the aircraft and military personnel at the base. Sources also suggested possible sabotage or an attempt to strike the expensive aircraft in the event of renewed hostilities with Iran.
One source close to the White House cited Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb, a covert drone operation against Russian military bases in June last year, as an example of how an adversary could potentially strike military assets at a distance.
The developments follow an incident at RAF Fairford on 27 September, when police were alerted to three “suspicious vehicles” near the base.
Five men were initially arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences and later released on bail. A sixth man, a British-Iranian national, was also arrested and released on bail.
Iran has strongly denied involvement.
US Officials Differ
Trump’s comments appeared more direct than those of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said moving military assets was not unusual and declined to directly link the redeployment to the incident at Fairford.
Rubio said the US remained confident in the security of its bases and praised British authorities for their cooperation.
Vice President JD Vance said the bombers had been moved as an “abundance of caution”, while suggesting Iran had continued a pattern of what he described as “acts of terrorism” against the US and others.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has previously said there were “strong indications” Iran was involved in the Fairford incident, without providing details. Rubio has also said the incident “clearly” involved a foreign actor.
Iran has denied any role.
Base Used Against Iran
RAF Fairford, in Gloucestershire’s Cotswolds, has served as a forward operating location for the US Air Force for decades.
In recent months, the US has operated B-1 and B-52 bombers from the base for missions in the Middle East after Britain approved its use for defensive strikes against Iran.
The withdrawal reduces Washington’s ability to rapidly deploy additional bomber sorties against Iran, according to defence analysts.
The aircraft could potentially be redeployed to Diego Garcia or bases in the Gulf, although any move would depend on available capacity, agreements with allies and security considerations.
