Iran plotting to assassinate Trump? Israel has issued multiple warnings, while the CIA says the relevant intelligence has never been independently verified.

According to multiple current and former U.S. officials, over the past year, Israel has repeatedly warned U.S. intelligence agencies and the White House that Iran is plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump, with the warnings even detailing specific methods including snipers, hitmen, and shoulder-fired missile attacks. The warnings reportedly began in June 2025, on the eve of the Israel-Iran conflict, and increased significantly in February this year before the U.S. decided to take military action against Iran. In July this year, Israel also warned that Iran could target Air Force One with a shoulder-fired missile during Trump’s attendance at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. The U.S. subsequently implemented enhanced security measures and moved Trump to another aircraft. However, multiple sources familiar with the matter said the CIA has been unable to independently verify the specific assassination intelligence provided by Israel, assessing it as "low confidence." Turkey also stated that its intelligence agency found no evidence to corroborate the threats at the time. Even so, the intelligence still influenced the Trump administration’s Iran policy. Sources said that when Trump decided to take military action against Iran in February this year, the assassination warning provided by Israel was one of the decision-making references. Currently, tensions between the U.S. and Iran are further spilling over into the economic sphere. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said a series of major measures targeting Iran will be announced next week, including further tightening economic sanctions and restricting the flow of goods in and out of Iranian ports through continuous military intercepts in the Strait of Hormuz.