Israel reportedly shared intelligence with the Pentagon about a new and “specific” plan by Iran to assassinate President Donald Trump.
The reports surfaced amid renewed US-Iran conflict, raising fears of a return to all-out war, and after Trump’s baffling use of an old aircraft to leave Ankara after the NATO summit.
Washington has monitored “a steady drumbeat” of intelligence about possible plans to assassinate Trump, “but the warning from Israel was new and concerned a specific plot,” CNN reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
The Wall Street Journal, also citing unidentified sources, said the intelligence described a “fresh” plot.
Tehran has for years vowed to hit back at Trump for ordering the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in January 2020, during his first term.
“They want to take out the US leader — me. I’m on whatever list. I saw this morning I’m on every single one of their lists,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew home from a NATO summit.
Earlier, Trump used his old Air Force One plane to leave Turkey after a NATO summit, sending his new Qatari-gifted jet on ahead to the UK, where he switched planes for the journey to Washington.
Trump said on his Truth Social network that he was sending the new jet to Mildenhall Air Base so that service members would have a “chance to tour the Aircraft.”
“Everybody is so excited, and we thought that they should be the first. For old time’s sake, we’ll be taking the former Air Force One from Turkey,” Trump added.
But the switch to the new jet sparked speculation that it was due to its security features being lacking. The New York Times reported that the switch was made at the request of the US Secret Service “as a security precaution.”
NYT reported that the new plane lacks some capabilities of the old plane, but that the switch was not made because of a specific threat. Meanwhile, reporters were told to keep window shades closed in the press cabin during take-off, without explanation.
In a press conference, Trump sidestepped safety questions but alluded to previous alleged assassination attempts by Iran. “I speak about it a lot because the life of a president is very dangerous,” he said.
Later, aboard the new Air Force One, Trump told a reporter, “you’re probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleazebags we have to deal with” — an apparent reference to Iran, who he went on to refer to as “sick people.”
Asked if he was aware of a credible threat from Iran, Trump only said, “I have a threat all the time. I’m number one on their list.”
Qatar’s royal family donated the 747-8 plane last year after Trump complained about the state of the two aging jets that have served as the US presidential plane since 1990. The new aircraft was rapidly retrofitted and equipped with security features before making its first flight with Trump on July 1.
Trump updated Netanyahu
Donald Trump briefed Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu about US operations in the Gulf, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office said, after Iran reported fresh American strikes.
“As part of the continuous contact” between the two, “President Trump updated the Prime Minister on American moves in the Gulf,” Netanyahu’s office said in a message on X.
The Israeli leader also voiced concern to the White House about Turkey, accusing “Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his people” of making statements “against the existence of the State of Israel, as well as the need for security zones along Israel’s borders,” according to the post on X.
Erdogan on Tuesday rejected as “disinformation” Israel’s claim that the sale to Ankara of US F-35 fighter jets and components would upset the regional power balance.
On Monday, Netanyahu urged the United States not to sell the jets to NATO ally Turkey.
Rising tensions between Trump and Netanyahu, stemming from the conflict over Iran, have triggered considerable political fallout for the American administration. Surging oil prices and increased consumer costs, driven by the war, have exacerbated domestic pressure and weakened the president’s political standing.
- By Agence France-Presse
- Edited by ET Online Desk
