CIA Questions Israeli Intelligence on Iranian Threat to Trump in Turkey, Secret Escape Operation Executed

The CIA expressed doubts about Israeli intelligence reports alleging an Iranian plot to assassinate then-President Donald Trump during his visit to Turkey. According to a Washington Post report citing current and former U.S. intelligence officials, the CIA did not find the Israeli intelligence credible and shared these reservations with other U.S. government entities. One American source described the information as originating from Israel with a low confidence level. Some U.S. intelligence personnel suspected that Israel might have passed the report to influence U.S. policy in the region, particularly amid concerns in Jerusalem over warming ties between Washington and Ankara.

The Wall Street Journal detailed that the threat involved fears of an armed individual evading NATO summit security in Ankara to launch a MANPADS shoulder-fired missile at Trump's plane during takeoff. The intelligence included sightings of a person near the summit carrying such a missile and indications that the Iranians knew the exact floor where Trump was staying.

Despite skepticism within the intelligence community, U.S. secret service and the White House opted for caution and carried out an unusual deception operation on July 8. Trump was publicly seen boarding the presidential plane, but was secretly transported in a food container to a military aircraft that flew him from Turkey to the UK. Passengers on the presidential plane were asked to keep window shades closed as it took off as a decoy. Upon arrival in Britain, Trump was discreetly returned to the original plane and disembarked in front of reporters.

An American official told the Washington Post that the secret service had previously faced three real threats to the president and therefore took no chances, doing what was necessary. Trump himself recently commented on the operation, stating he simply followed the secret service's instructions to fly on a different plane with equivalent security, emphasizing his trust in their judgment.