Iran plotting against Trump admin officials? Bessent moves to military base after threats to his life

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was reportedly moved out of his home in the DC area to a military base following Iranian threats against his life. The move comes amid growing concerns within the US government over Iranian plots targeting current and former American officials. Meanwhile, reports earlier suggested that US military evacuated its aircraft from a Royal Air Force base in England on Monday (Nov 9) due to an Iranian threat.

According to a New York Times report, citing people with knowledge of the matter, intelligence gathered in recent weeks suggested that such threats had reached “advanced stages”, with Bessent among those facing potential danger.

Iran’s economic pressure campaign puts Bessent in crosshairs

Bessent has been leading the Trump administration's campaign to squeeze Iran’s economy since August, using tougher sanctions and restrictions on trade routes to cut off the country’s financial lifelines.

A key target of the campaign is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran’s powerful military organisation, which also controls a substantial part of the country’s economy.

A Treasury Department spokesperson said Bessent “will not be deterred by the Iranian regime’s threats,” adding that he remains committed to the economic pressure campaign.

The exact nature and severity of the threats against him have not been disclosed. US officials have maintained that Iran has limited capacity to launch large-scale attacks on American soil, but have treated specific threats against individuals as serious.

Several US officials moved to protected housing

Bessent is not the first senior Trump administration official to leave a private residence over security concerns. At least half a dozen officials moved to military bases or other protected accommodation last year.

They included Stephen Miller, now White House chief of staff, and Pam Bondi, who was then serving as attorney general. Bondi reportedly faced increased threats following the US military operation that captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas and brought him to New York to face federal charges.

Last month, Washington also heightened security measures across the Middle East and reduced staffing at several diplomatic missions amid intelligence warnings of possible Iranian attacks against Americans.

US military evacuates aircraft from UK airbases

According to a Wall Street Journal report, two US refuelling tankers operating from RAF Mildenhall diverted to Germany earlier in the day. Several other tankers were subsequently relocated to Germany and other locations, according to flight-tracking data. The precise nature of the threat to RAF Mildenhall remains unclear, as US officials are still assessing whether it involved an imminent danger or a broader security concern. The report added that a US Air Force spokesperson stated that the US aircraft movement between bases and operating locations for various reasons was a routine activity.

Iran threats against Trump date back to 2020

Iran’s hostility towards US President Donald Trump dates back to January 2020, when he ordered the drone strike that killed Qassim Suleimani, commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force.

In 2024, federal prosecutors charged Farhad Shakeri, described as an IRGC operative, with plotting to assassinate Trump in retaliation for Suleimani's killing.

Several US national security officials involved in the operation also faced threats from Iran. However, after returning to office, Trump withdrew security protections from several former officials, including some of his former advisers.

Meanwhile, US intelligence assessments suggest Tehran’s hard-line leadership remains determined to retain power despite mounting economic pressure. This raises questions about whether sanctions and financial restrictions alone can force a change in Iran's political leadership.