Israel warns that Iran is plotting to assassinate Trump; CIA says intelligence is unverified.

Huo Xing Finance reports that on August 14, multiple current and former U.S. officials revealed that over the past year, Israel had repeatedly warned U.S. intelligence agencies and the White House that Iran was plotting to assassinate Trump, with specific threat details including snipers, assassins, and shoulder-fired missile attacks. These warnings reportedly began in June 2025, prior to the escalation of Israel-Iran hostilities, and intensified significantly in February 2024, ahead of the U.S. decision to launch military action against Iran. In July 2024, Israel also warned that Iran might use shoulder-fired missiles to attack Air Force One while Trump attended the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. In response, U.S. authorities implemented enhanced security measures and relocated Trump to another aircraft. However, multiple sources indicated that the CIA was never able to independently verify the specific assassination intelligence provided by Israel and assessed it as “low confidence.” Turkish authorities also stated their intelligence agencies found no corroborating evidence of the threat at the time. Nevertheless, this intelligence influenced Trump administration policy toward Iran; sources say the warnings from Israel were among the factors considered when Trump decided on military action against Iran in February. Meanwhile, U.S.-Iran tensions are further extending into the economic sphere. U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent announced that next week, a series of major measures targeting Iran will be unveiled, including intensified economic sanctions and continued military interdictions in the Strait of Hormuz to restrict the flow of goods to and from Iranian ports.