CIA Questions Israeli Intelligence on Iranian Assassination Plot Against Trump in Turkey

New details revealed by The Washington Post shed light on the intelligence dispute preceding the secret operation to smuggle US President Donald Trump out of Turkey in July. Israel warned the CIA about an alleged Iranian assassination attempt on Trump, but American intelligence officials doubted the credibility of the information. Analysts at the CIA rated the Israeli intelligence as having a "low confidence level" and suspected it might have been intended to influence US foreign policy, particularly regarding Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whom Israel views as a medium- to long-term threat.

Despite skepticism, the CIA and White House chose to err on the side of caution due to Trump's history of surviving multiple assassination attempts. The covert operation took place on July 8 amid heightened tensions with Iran, just one day after the US military resumed strikes in Iran under Trump's orders. The operation involved a complex deception: Trump appeared to board the usual presidential plane in Ankara after the NATO summit, greeting reporters, but was secretly moved into the back of a catering truck and transported to a smaller military aircraft that flew him to the UK escorted by F-16 fighter jets. Meanwhile, the press remained with the decoy plane unaware of the switch.

Concerns also arose about the security of a new executive aircraft gifted by Qatar, which Trump had used days earlier. Trump himself acknowledged the operation, joking about the dangers posed by "the villains we face." The threat from Iran has been a persistent concern since the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani and has intensified following the recent assassinations of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's close associates.

While the CIA viewed the Israeli intelligence as possibly manipulative, the agency adopted a strict precautionary approach. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was briefed on the intelligence and deception plan but still chose to fly on the original Air Force One. Officially, the White House and CIA declined to comment on the intelligence details but affirmed that all necessary measures are taken to protect the president from Iranian threats. Some Democratic Party figures have called for greater transparency regarding the intelligence that prompted the unusual deception operation, with some describing the claims as "somewhat fanciful."