US Doubts Israeli Intelligence on Iranian Assassination Threat Against Trump

US officials expressed skepticism on Saturday regarding Israeli intelligence about an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate President Donald Trump during his return flight from Turkey. Despite doubts about the intelligence's credibility, heightened tensions with Tehran and the lack of advanced defense systems on the Qatari plane assigned to Trump prompted US security agencies to revert to using the older Air Force One aircraft for his return trip.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the White House military office, intelligence services, and national security officials concluded that the Qatari plane did not meet the required protection standards, lacking the sophisticated defense systems present on the traditional Air Force One. This assessment was decisive in the decision to switch aircraft.

President Trump denied receiving any warning from Israel in an interview with the New York Post, stating, "No, no. Israel did not reveal anything. I have been number one on Iran's hit list for a long time, and that's how life is, you know." He also claimed the Qatari plane was not replaced for security reasons but was sent to Britain to allow US troops to inspect it.

The aircraft switch caused significant controversy in Washington, with sources revealing that Trump was furious and embarrassed by the public disclosure of the decision to prevent him from flying on the new $400 million plane. Following the leaks, Trump ordered an investigation to identify the source of the information leak. FBI Director Kash Patel reportedly discussed the matter with White House officials.

As part of the leak investigation, the US Department of Justice subpoenaed four New York Times journalists to testify before a federal grand jury in Manhattan next Wednesday. The subpoenas were delivered directly to the reporters' homes. The newspaper's legal counsel, David McCraw, condemned the subpoenas as an attempt to intimidate journalists and suppress public knowledge of government affairs. Neither the White House nor the federal prosecutor's office has commented on the subpoenas so far.