US intelligence officials had doubts about the credibility of an alleged Iranian assassination threat against President Donald Trump that contributed to an extraordinary security operation during his departure from Türkiye last month, The Washington Post reported.
According to the report, CIA analysts did not consider intelligence supplied by Israel compelling and communicated their concerns to Trump administration officials.
One US official described the information as “Israeli-derived, not U.S.-generated, and viewed as low confidence,” the newspaper reported, citing current and former officials familiar with the intelligence.
The reported doubts add a new dimension to the secret operation carried out when Trump left Ankara following the NATO summit on July 8.
Trump secretly switched planes
The Washington Post previously reported that Trump was secretly moved from an older Air Force One aircraft to a smaller C-32A military plane before flying to Britain.
Trump was reportedly transferred using an airport catering truck, while journalists and some White House staff were left believing he remained aboard the presidential aircraft.
He and a small group of aides then flew to RAF Mildenhall in England, with the aircraft reportedly escorted by F-16 fighter jets.
The operation was carried out amid concerns over whether a Boeing 747-8 aircraft gifted to the US by Qatar had adequate security protections for Trump's departure.
Secret Service proceeded despite intelligence doubts
Although questions were raised about the credibility of the intelligence, US officials said the Secret Service ultimately determined that the potential threat warranted extraordinary precautions.
“The Secret Service has had three near misses with this president, so they’re not taking any chances,” one official told The Washington Post.
Trump said Tuesday that the decision to use another aircraft was made by the Secret Service.
“It’s really just up to Secret Service. I just follow what they like to do,” Trump said, according to the report.
The White House did not directly address questions about the intelligence assessment.
A US official said Trump had faced numerous threats, including from Iran, and that authorities had taken measures to protect him.
The CIA declined to comment, while the Israeli Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Questions over Israeli intelligence
The reported assessment has also raised questions about why Israel shared the intelligence with Washington and whether the information was intended only as a warning or could have influenced US policy toward the region.
Some current and former US intelligence officials reportedly believed the Israeli information may have been intended, at least partly, to influence Trump's decision-making.
A former official cited by the newspaper said the reporting fit a broader pattern in which some officials believe Israeli intelligence is used not only to inform US policymakers but also to shape presidential decisions.
Israel regards Iran as its most immediate regional security threat and has also expressed concerns about Türkiye and the increasingly close relationship between Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Rubio reportedly stayed aboard Air Force One
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was reportedly briefed on both the Israeli intelligence and the Secret Service's planned operation.
However, according to a former official cited by The Washington Post, Rubio still travelled aboard the older Air Force One aircraft.
Another US official questioned how serious the alleged threat could have been, pointing to the tens of thousands of Turkish security personnel deployed during the NATO summit.
The episode has renewed scrutiny over the intelligence that prompted the unusual flight operation and the extent to which security agencies disagreed over the credibility of the alleged threat against Trump.
