The United States received multiple warnings over the past year from Israel regarding Iranian plots to assassinate former President Donald Trump, according to U.S. officials familiar with the matter. These warnings, shared with U.S. intelligence agencies and senior White House officials, detailed potential schemes including sniper attacks, stabbings at public events, or even shooting down his plane.
The intelligence sharing began prior to a 12-day conflict in June 2025 and intensified before the U.S. initiated military action in Iran in February. A particularly detailed warning emerged before the NATO summit in Ankara in July, when Israeli officials briefed the White House on intelligence suggesting Iran might attempt to kill Trump with a shoulder-launched missile during his flight on Air Force One.
The U.S. intelligence community has long assessed that Iran harbored intentions to retaliate for the 2020 killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani. However, the Central Intelligence Agency has not been able to corroborate some of the specific threats against Trump's life that Israeli intelligence provided since early last year.
In the case of the NATO summit threat, Turkish intelligence agencies also found no evidence to support the Israeli claim, a finding shared with American officials. Despite the lack of independent verification, White House officials and the Secret Service implemented precautionary measures. This included a notable security maneuver during the Turkey trip where Trump was transferred to a different aircraft for his departure from the country.
This situation highlights the influence of Israeli intelligence on the Trump administration's policy decisions regarding Iran, particularly during a period of heightened tensions. It also underscores differing assessments between U.S. and Israeli intelligence regarding Iran's overall threat level. Earlier this year, U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Iran was not actively pursuing nuclear weapons, a conclusion that contrasted with Israel's view of Tehran as an immediate threat.
Despite the U.S. intelligence community's assessments, Trump proceeded with military strikes in Iran in February, reportedly taking into account intelligence shared by Israel about alleged Iranian assassination attempts against him.
A spokesperson for the Israeli embassy denied that Israel was using intelligence sharing to influence U.S. policy, stating that such accusations would be unwarranted. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi, while declining to comment on specific intelligence matters, affirmed the agency's ongoing focus on Trump's security amidst recent threats.
The U.S. has historically relied heavily on Israeli intelligence concerning the Middle East, especially regarding Iran. This intelligence typically flows through formal channels to agencies like the CIA or NSA for analysis. U.S. agencies often face challenges in verifying Israeli intelligence but use other information to assess its authenticity. In several instances related to U.S. military actions in Iran, the CIA reportedly assessed "low confidence" in Israeli intelligence regarding threats, including potential assassination plots against Trump.
These assessments were not always widely circulated within the administration. In some cases over the past year, senior Israeli officials directly briefed senior Trump administration officials on Iranian threats, including in high-level meetings. This direct engagement occurred amid reported disruptions in intelligence sharing within the Trump administration, including the CIA ceasing joint assessments with the National Intelligence Council.