Iran has allegedly plotted to assassinate Donald Trump using explosive drones, according to intelligence said to have been passed by Israel’s Mossad to the CIA.
The claim was reported as Mossad director Roman Gofman held talks in Washington with CIA director John Ratcliffe during the past week. Senior Israeli and US officials said the alleged plans had contributed to a cooling of peace discussions between Washington and Tehran.
An Israeli newspaper reported that the intelligence indicated Iran was considering an attack on the US president. The allegation has not been publicly confirmed by the White House or the CIA.
The report comes after Trump failed to make a public appearance for several days, following a series of rallies ahead of the midterm elections. He has continued posting on his Truth Social account and is due to travel to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen.
Trump is expected to hold trilateral meetings there with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, in what has been described as an unprecedented gathering of leaders from the world’s biggest nuclear powers.
Iran threats against US officials
Concerns over Iranian threats have also led to senior members of the Trump administration being moved from their Washington homes into military accommodation.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was reportedly taken to a military base in recent weeks after intelligence suggested threats against him had reached an advanced stage. Attorney General Todd Blanche, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have also been moved to military housing.
The seriousness of the threats against Mr Bessent remains unclear. He has led the administration’s campaign of sanctions and other economic measures against Iran, including efforts to restrict trade routes and isolate the country from the global economy.
A Treasury Department spokesman said Mr Bessent “will not be deterred by the Iranian regime’s threats” and would continue the economic campaign against Tehran.
In an opinion article, Mr Bessent described the effort as “Operation Economic Outcast” and said Trump had been “making phone calls to world leaders with specific requests to cease their interactions” with Iran.
Iran has previously been accused of targeting US officials, including an alleged plan to kill Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign. In early November, a banner reading “We Will Kill Trump” was displayed over Enqelab Square in central Tehran.
The alleged drone plot comes amid continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran. The conflict has no clear end, while gas prices have pushed inflation higher and economic growth has stalled at around 2 per cent.
The White House has not publicly addressed the reported allegation against Trump. Officials said the president was receiving constant updates about an FAA ground stoppage, while his security arrangements and planned overseas meetings remained in focus.
