According to a Thursday 13 of August, 2026, report by Anadolu English, the United States (US) intelligence officials have expressed doubts about the credibility of an alleged Iranian assassination threat against President Donald Trump that was provided by Israel and contributed to an extraordinary security operation during his departure from Türkiye last month.
The newspaper, citing current and former US officials familiar with the intelligence, reported that CIA analysts did not regard the Israeli information as compelling. Their concerns were communicated to officials within the Trump administration.
One US official described the intelligence as “Israeli-derived, not U.S.-generated, and viewed as low confidence,” according to the Post.
The concerns emerged as questions surrounding the extensive security measures used after Trump left Ankara following the NATO summit on July 8. The Post previously reported that Trump was secretly transferred from the legacy Air Force One to a C-32A military aircraft after officials raised concerns about the security protections of a new Boeing 747-8 aircraft gifted to the US by Qatar.
Trump was reportedly moved from the presidential aircraft to the military plane using an airport catering truck. He and a small group of aides then flew to Britain’s Mildenhall air base under the escort of F-16 fighter jets.
The White House did not directly address the intelligence assessment. A US official said Trump had faced numerous threats, including from Iran, and that extensive precautions were necessary.
“As the president has said, he has faced numerous threats on his life, including ones from Iran, and every measure is taken to ensure his safety,” the official said.
“The United States Secret Service’s core mission is protecting the president, which they achieved.”
The CIA declined to comment, while the Israeli Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to the newspaper’s request.
Despite doubts over the intelligence, US officials said the Secret Service considered the reported threat serious enough to justify extraordinary precautions.
“The Secret Service has had three near misses with this president, so they’re not taking any chances,” one official told the 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,” he said, according to the Post. “They wanted me to go on a different flight, a different plane, equal safety … I do what they say.”
The report also raised questions about whether Israel’s intelligence sharing was intended solely as a warning or partly to influence US policy toward Iran and the wider region.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was reportedly briefed on the intelligence and planned security operation but nevertheless boarded the legacy Air Force One. Another US official questioned the seriousness of the alleged threat, noting that tens of thousands of Turkish security personnel were deployed for the NATO summit.
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