According to a current US official and two former officials, Israel has repeatedly sent urgent warnings to US intelligence agencies and senior White House officials over the past year, alleging that Tehran is plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump. However, US intelligence agencies have been unable to independently verify these highly specific and alarming reports.
Insiders detailed the intelligence, noting that Israeli warnings included plans involving snipers, assassins with knives, and even shoulder-fired missiles at large public events. These warnings began just before a 12-day conflict in June 2025 and intensified ahead of the US decision to launch a full-scale war against Iran in February.
The most alarming detail occurred during the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, in July. According to the US official and another source, Israel directly informed the White House of a highly specific threat, claiming Iran might use a shoulder-fired missile to attack Trump while he was aboard Air Force One. Although the credibility of this intelligence was questionable, the White House and Secret Service took extreme precautions.
To evade potential missile threats, security personnel secretly moved Trump from the official presidential aircraft to another plane for his departure from Turkey, in a rare "deception operation." However, a Turkish official stated that Ankara's intelligence agencies found no evidence to support Israel's claims and had shared this assessment with the US.
This intelligence gap highlights the awkward decision-making process within the Trump administration. US intelligence has long assessed that Iran has a motive to avenge the 2020 killing of General Qassem Soleimani. But multiple sources confirm that the CIA has consistently rated Israel's specific assassination plots since early 2025 as "low confidence."
Despite this, these unverified reports have had real policy impact. When Trump decided to launch a military operation against Iran in February, he not only ignored US intelligence assessments that Iran was not actively pursuing nuclear weapons but also used Israel's "assassination warnings" as a key reference.
Now, the US-Iran situation has extended into the economic realm. Trump said Sunday he would increase economic pressure on Iran rather than order new military action. US Treasury Secretary Bessent revealed in an interview Thursday that a series of major announcements would come next week, including unprecedented economic blockades and continued military interception at the Strait of Hormuz to cut off all supplies to Iranian ports.
Facing accusations of manipulating US policy, an Israeli embassy spokesman strongly denied them, arguing that it is logically inconsistent to claim Israel is trying to influence US policy through intelligence sharing. He said, "Those who accuse Israel of trying to influence US policy by sharing intelligence, if it fits their political goals, will also readily accuse Israel of hiding key information."
The White House and CIA declined to comment. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi, while refusing to discuss specific intelligence, admitted the agency is under high pressure amid increased assassination attempts, adding that it continuously analyzes various information to guide global protection operations.
Two former officials also described a "blockage" within the US intelligence system. They said that due to tensions with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the CIA stopped sharing information with the National Intelligence Council last year, leading to a significant reduction in comprehensive assessments on Iran reaching the White House, increasing decision-making risks.
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