Israel Warns of Iranian Plot Against Trump, US Intelligence Questions Motive

In August 2026, Israeli intelligence alerted the United States to a purported Iranian plan to assassinate former President Donald Trump during his visit to Turkey. However, American intelligence agencies, including the CIA, expressed skepticism about the credibility of the Israeli warning, labeling it as "low reliability." According to a report by The Washington Post citing current and former officials, US intelligence suspected that the Israeli alert aimed not only to warn but also to influence US foreign policy decisions in the Middle East.

Despite doubts, US security services chose not to take any risks given Trump's history of surviving three previous assassination attempts. Consequently, protective measures were intensified, including altering Trump's travel plans. Trump himself acknowledged following his security team's advice, stating, "They wanted me to fly on a different plane, equally safe, and I just do what they say."

The incident caused some friction and suspicion within Washington's intelligence community regarding Israel's intentions behind the warning. The event unfolded as Trump traveled aboard the newly gifted Air Force One from Qatar, with the visit involving Turkey and its president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The episode highlights the complex interplay between Israeli intelligence and US decision-making amid ongoing regional tensions involving Iran.