Israeli intelligence officials provided the U.S. government with information about a newly discovered Iranian plot to assassinate President Trump, according to reporting from the Wall Street Journal on Thursday. The warning came from Israeli officials who assessed the threat as active and credible.
The disclosure marks an escalation in tensions between Iran and the United States. It follows previous reports of Iranian assassination attempts or plots targeting Trump, particularly after the U.S. conducted the 2020 airstrike that killed Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani.
The specifics of the alleged plot remain unclear from the available reporting. The Journal's sources did not provide details about the operational stage of the plan or the methods Iranian actors intended to use. U.S. security agencies typically respond to such threats by adjusting the president's protective measures and investigating the intelligence provided by allied nations.
Iran has denied previous accusations of assassination plots against American leaders. Tehran has routinely blamed the U.S. for regional destabilization and responded to American military actions with threats of retaliation.
The intelligence sharing between Israel and the U.S. reflects their close security partnership on counterterrorism and Iran-related threats. Israel views Iran as its primary regional adversary and has shared intelligence with Washington on Iranian military activities and plots repeatedly over the past decade.
The timing of this disclosure comes during a period of heightened political polarization in the United States, with Trump campaigning as a candidate in the 2024 election. Security officials typically heighten protection for presidential candidates following credible threat assessments.
The Secret Service and other U.S. law enforcement agencies would evaluate the intelligence and adjust security protocols accordingly. Details about specific protective measures typically remain confidential for operational security reasons.