U.S. intelligence officials have been unable to independently verify several Israeli warnings over the past year alleging Iranian plots to assassinate President Donald Trump, according to U.S. officials. The uncorroborated intelligence included specific threats of sniper attacks or knife attacks at public events.
These warnings, conveyed to U.S. intelligence agencies and sometimes directly to White House officials by their Israeli counterparts, began prior to a conflict in June 2025 and intensified before the U.S. decision to conduct military operations in Iran in February. The most detailed warning emerged before the NATO summit in Ankara in July, with Israeli officials briefing the White House on intelligence suggesting Iran might attempt to kill Trump, possibly using a shoulder-launched missile during his Air Force One travel.
While the U.S. intelligence community has long assessed Iran's desire for retaliation following the 2020 killing of military commander Qassem Soleimani, the Central Intelligence Agency has not been able to corroborate some specific threats against Trump's life shared by Israeli intelligence since early last year. Turkish intelligence agencies also reportedly found no evidence to support the Israeli claim regarding the threat to Trump during the NATO summit, a finding shared with U.S. authorities.
Despite the lack of independent verification, White House officials and the Secret Service implemented precautionary measures to mitigate potential threats. These included an unusual security operation during the Turkey trip, where Trump was moved from Air Force One to a different aircraft for his departure. This situation highlights the influence of Israeli intelligence on the Trump administration's decision-making regarding Iran, particularly amidst heightened tensions and differing U.S. and Israeli intelligence assessments on Iran's overall threat level.
Earlier this year, U.S. intelligence agencies concluded that Iran was not actively pursuing nuclear weapon development, a view that contrasted with Israel's assertion of an urgent threat. Nevertheless, President Trump proceeded with strikes in Iran in February, reportedly taking into account intelligence shared by Israel concerning alleged assassination attempts against him. A spokesperson for the Israeli embassy denied that Israel was using intelligence to influence U.S. policy on Iran, characterizing such claims as politically motivated.
The U.S. has historically relied on Israeli intelligence concerning the Middle East, especially regarding Iran. However, U.S. intelligence agencies often face challenges in verifying Israeli intelligence, relying on other information sources for corroboration. In several instances related to U.S. military actions in Iran, the CIA reportedly assessed "low confidence" in Israeli intelligence regarding Iranian threats, including alleged assassination plots against Trump. It remains unclear how widely these assessments were disseminated within the administration. The White House and CIA declined to comment, and the National Security Agency also declined to comment.
