Israel Warned US of Alleged Iran Plot to Assassinate Trump

Israel repeatedly warned the United States over the past year that Iran may have been planning to assassinate President Donald Trump, although U.S. intelligence agencies were unable to independently verify several of the alleged threats, according to current and former U.S. officials.

The warnings reportedly intensified around major U.S.-Iran tensions, including the 12-day war in June 2025 and before Washington launched military strikes against Iran in February. Israeli intelligence described potential assassination scenarios involving a sniper, a knife attack at a public event and other methods.

One of the most detailed warnings emerged ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara in July. Israeli officials reportedly told the White House that Iran could attempt to target Trump while he traveled aboard Air Force One, potentially using a shoulder-launched missile.

Neither U.S. nor Turkish intelligence could corroborate the specific threat. Nevertheless, the White House and Secret Service implemented additional security precautions. These reportedly included an unusual deception operation in Turkey in which Trump was transferred from Air Force One to another aircraft for his departure.

U.S. intelligence has long assessed that Iran seeks retaliation for the 2020 killing of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, which Trump authorized during his first presidency. However, the CIA reportedly assigned “low confidence” to some Israeli intelligence concerning Iranian threats, including alleged assassination plans.

The differing assessments highlight broader disagreements between U.S. and Israeli intelligence over Iran. American agencies earlier concluded that Tehran was not actively building a nuclear weapon, while Israel maintained that Iran represented an urgent nuclear threat. Trump ultimately ordered strikes against Iran despite the U.S. assessment.

Israeli officials denied using intelligence sharing to influence Washington’s Iran policy. Meanwhile, intelligence cooperation within the U.S. government has also faced challenges. The CIA reportedly stopped coordinating intelligence with the National Intelligence Council amid tensions with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, resulting in fewer comprehensive assessments on issues including Iran.

The White House, CIA and NSA declined to comment on the reported intelligence warnings.