Trump confirms threat led US to pull bombers from UK base

US President Donald Trump confirmed Monday that a threat led the US to pull its bombers from a British air base, suggesting a possible link to Iran.

"Yeah, I think we can say that. I mean, they didn't fly out by accident," Trump told reporters at the White House before leaving for a campaign rally in Nebraska, when asked whether a specific threat led to the withdrawal of the bombers from the UK.

"There were some threats, and rather than tempting the enemy, we'll capture the enemy and beat the enemy," he said. "But why should we leave them there? So we moved them around a little bit, not very far."

Trump said moving the aircraft "costs very little money."

"We had a threat, and if we're going to be threatened, we'll just move them, and that sort of alleviates that," he said, adding: "We actually know the people that made the threat."

Asked whether there was a risk that Iran had gotten combat drones into the UK, he said: "I can't tell you that, but if they did, they'll suffer greatly."

Asked again about the threat, Trump suggested: "That would be linked to Iran."

The US removed all its B-1 bombers stationed at RAF Fairford in the UK following a security incident targeting the facility, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

The redeployment of a dozen B-1 aircraft came after British counter-terrorism police arrested six suspects in connection with a planned attack on the base, which US and British officials said was disrupted on Sept. 27.