President Donald Trump stated that the United States withdrew its bomber aircraft from the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fairford airbase in the United Kingdom due to “certain threats.” Earlier, the US Department of Defense confirmed on Sunday that all bomber aircraft had been moved from RAF Fairford back to the United States. Reports indicate that approximately a dozen B-1 bombers were among the aircraft withdrawn from the UK military airbase. Speaking to reporters on Monday before departing for Nebraska, Trump said that the decision to bring back the bombers came after learning about a security threat within the US.
Previously, a spokesperson for the UK Prime Minister’s Office had affirmed that RAF Fairford remained secure and recalled that Trump praised the “police, security, and defense services” in the UK. On September 27, 2026, near Gloucester, three suspicious vehicles were observed at the airbase, prompting the UK police to issue alerts. Trump mentioned this incident as a reason for the recent move. When asked outside the White House if a specific threat was detected that led to the retrieval of bombers, Trump replied, “Yes, I think you could say that. It was not due to an accident.”
Initially, five individuals were arrested near the airbase on suspicion of involvement in terrorist activities but were later released on bail. Subsequently, British-Iranian nationals were also detained and similarly released on bail. White House sources have not denied that the US decision was a response to the RAF Fairford incident. Days after the event, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that there was “strong evidence” indicating possible Iranian involvement, though he did not provide further details. Tehran has categorically denied any involvement in the incident.
The arrests began early in the morning after reports emerged of vehicles heading toward the airbase operated by the US Air Force. Five men, aged between 23 and 25, all British residents from London, were apprehended on suspicion of offenses related to explosives and planning terrorist activities. The police later released them on bail, explaining that the decision was based on a strategy-informed investigation. The US Air Force has used RAF Fairford as a “forward operating location” for decades. Following a recent UK approval to support defensive strikes against Iran, American bombers have regularly flown from this base to the Middle East. In July, Iran warned that “any airbase involved in attacking Iranian territory would be a legitimate target for its military.”
