US Treasury chief Bessent transferred to military base after ‘Iranian threats’ | US-Israeli war against Iran

Iran has reportedly geolocated Bessent’s $12.5 million Washington, DC mansion after US media published an aerial view of the property.

United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently moved from his home in Washington, DC to an undisclosed US military base, following “Iranian threats” against his life.

The New York Times and Reuters news agency reported the move Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter, but the severity of the threats remains unclear.

Iran has previously denied plotting to attack officials and people on US soil.

Since August, Bessent has been leading a campaign of American economic pressure against Iran, called Operation Economic Outcast, to try to push Tehran to end attacks on shipping and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

In April, the United States announced a blockade of Iranian ports, but Tehran remained defiant despite the naval siege.

A spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Reuters that “the Secretary of State will not be deterred by the Iranian regime’s threats and remains committed to executing Operation Economic Pariah and maintaining the blockade, which together are collapsing the Iranian economy.”

In a memo seen by Reuters late last month, a senior Trump administration intelligence official warned that Iranian plots against U.S. citizens had reached an advanced stage.

Security concerns around Bessent grew when The Wall Street Journal published an aerial view of the Georgetown mansion he purchased for $12.5 million shortly after he was confirmed as Treasury secretary in January 2025, Reuters said, citing a source familiar with the matter.

The photo helped geolocate Bessent’s home and he was transferred to a military base for his safety, the source said, adding: “The media has an obligation to act responsibly in the face of growing threats against public officials.” »

The New York Times reported that U.S. officials noted that Iran’s ability to carry out large-scale attacks in the United States and other overseas territories is limited. Yet US national intelligence chief Jay Clayton warned last month that Tehran had “significantly increased” its efforts to target Americans in the Middle East and beyond.

Those efforts include stepping up targeting of current and former U.S. officials such as Bessent, the Times reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter.

US and Israeli attacks killed senior Iranian officials, including the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at the start of their war against Iran.