Israel shared intelligence with the United States this week about a new and “specific” Iranian plot to assassinate President Donald Trump, US media reported Thursday.
The reports came as renewed attacks by the United States and Iran raised fears of a return to all-out war and followed Trump’s unusual decision to use an older presidential aircraft for part of his journey home from a NATO summit in Turkey.
Washington has monitored “a steady drumbeat” of intelligence about possible plots to assassinate Trump, but the warning from Israel was new and concerned a specific plan, CNN reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The Wall Street Journal, also citing unidentified sources, described the intelligence as involving a “fresh” plot.
Tehran has for years vowed to retaliate against Trump for ordering the January 2020 US drone strike that killed top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani during Trump’s first term in office.
Asked by Agence France-Presse about the reports, a White House official referred to remarks Trump made Wednesday.
“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 returned from the NATO summit.
Trump left Turkey aboard the older Air Force One aircraft while the new presidential jet, donated by Qatar, flew ahead to Britain. He later switched planes there for the journey to Washington.
The decision not to use the new aircraft for the first leg of the return trip prompted speculation that it lacked some of the older plane’s security features, particularly as the United States launched fresh strikes against Iran, which shares a border with Turkey.
The New York Times reported late Wednesday that the switch was made at the request of the US Secret Service “as a security precaution.”
At a news conference Trump sidestepped questions about the aircraft’s safety but referred to previous alleged Iranian plots to assassinate him.
© Agence France-Presse