US treasury chief Bessent moved to military base amid Iranian threats, sources say
NYT says top economic official relocated to secure housing following intel Tehran has upped efforts to target officeholders; Bessent said 'not deterred'
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has recently moved from his Washington, DC, residence to a US military base due to Iranian threats against his life, three people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.
The New York Times first reported the move. A senior intelligence official in the Trump administration warned in a memo seen by Reuters late last month that Iranian plots against US personnel and American citizens had reached an advanced stage.
According to the Times report, that assessment was based in part on specific intelligence about threats against Bessent, who has led the US sanctions and economic pressure campaign against Iran.
That effort, dubbed Operation Economic Outcast, has tried since August to push Tehran to end attacks on shipping and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The crucial waterway has been largely closed since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
The economic pressure campaign, which coincides with a US naval blockade of Iranian ports, has included sanctions on Middle Eastern bank branches and other financial services firms facilitating transactions with Iran.
“The secretary will not be deterred by the Iranian regime’s threats and remains committed to executing Operation Economic Outcast and maintaining the blockade, which together are collapsing Iran’s economy,” a US Treasury spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
The Times reported that the severity of the threats to Bessent was not immediately clear.
A source familiar with the matter said security concerns surrounding Bessent increased when the Wall Street Journal published an aerial view of the Georgetown mansion that Bessent bought for $12.5 million shortly after his confirmation as Treasury secretary in January 2025.
The photo allowed Bessent’s home to be geolocated, and now, with Iran’s increased efforts to target US officials, Bessent was relocated to a military base for his safety, the source said, adding: “The news media has an obligation to act responsibly amid growing threats against public officials.”
He joins at least a half dozen top US officials in relocating to military bases or secure housing sites over the past year, the Times said, including Stephen Miller, now the White House chief of staff.
Israeli intelligence in recent months has also indicated that Iran was seeking to target US and Israeli officials, according to several media reports.
Iran has previously denied plotting to attack officials and people on US soil.
The report came a day after the Wall Street Journal reported that the US had diverted refueling tankers from another UK airbase because of a threat from Iran. Last month, the US Air Force removed its bombers stationed at RAF Fairford in England following an investigation into an alleged planned terror attack at the base, which had been used in operations against Iran.