CIA Questions Israeli Intelligence on Iran Assassination Threat to Trump but Secret Service Acts Cautiously

In July, following the NATO summit in Ankara, the CIA expressed doubts about Israeli intelligence warning of an Iranian assassination attempt on then-President Donald Trump during his departure from Turkey. American intelligence sources described the Israeli information as originating from Israel and having a low confidence level, with some officials suspecting it was intended to influence U.S. policy rather than solely warn of a threat.

Despite skepticism, the U.S. Secret Service, which had previously faced three assassination threats against Trump, chose not to take any risks. They executed an unusual deception operation to conceal Trump's location, including secretly transporting him in a food container to a military plane and instructing accompanying journalists to keep window shades closed. Upon arrival in the UK, Trump was covertly returned to his original Air Force One aircraft and later appeared publicly as usual.

The intelligence indicated that Iranian operatives might have planned to use a man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) to target Trump's plane during takeoff from Ankara, with detailed knowledge of his whereabouts. However, some American officials questioned the feasibility of such an attack given the heavy Turkish security presence at the summit.

A U.S. official noted that Israel views Iran as the most immediate regional threat and is wary of warming U.S.-Turkey relations, possibly motivating the intelligence sharing. Trump himself acknowledged the Secret Service's role in the decision to switch planes, stating he followed their guidance for his safety.

The Iranian threat to Trump and other senior U.S. officials has been a significant concern since the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani and has intensified following recent targeted strikes on Iranian leadership in early 2024.