Bessent Moves to Military Base After Iranian Threats
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has moved from his home in Washington to a military base after Iranian threats against his life, two people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. The New York Times first reported the move, and Reuters confirmed it, citing two people familiar with the matter.
The relocation shows how far the confrontation between Washington and Tehran has reached beyond the Strait of Hormuz and into the personal security of senior American officials. The severity of the threats against Bessent was not immediately clear, the Times reported, and the location of the base where he is now staying has not been disclosed.
A warning that plots had reached an advanced stage
Late last month, a senior intelligence official in the Trump administration warned in a memo seen by Reuters that Iranian plots against US personnel and American citizens had reached an advanced stage.
Iran has previously denied plotting to attack officials and people on US soil. The Times reported that US officials have noted that Iran’s ability to carry out large-scale attacks in the United States and other territories overseas is limited.
Officials have not said when Bessent moved, and the Treasury Department has not commented on the security arrangements around the relocation beyond its public statement.
Why Bessent is a target
Bessent has led the US sanctions and economic pressure campaign against Iran, dubbed Operation Economic Outcast, since August. Its aim is to push Tehran to end attacks on shipping and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that has been largely closed since the United States and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February.
The campaign runs alongside a US naval blockade of Iranian ports and has included sanctions on Middle Eastern bank branches and other financial services firms that facilitate transactions with Iran. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this week that the sanctions and blockade have made new large-scale military action against Iran unnecessary for now.
A Treasury spokesperson said in an emailed statement: “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.”
The photograph that raised the alarm
Security concerns around Bessent increased when the Wall Street Journal published an aerial view of the Georgetown mansion he bought for $12.5 million shortly after his confirmation as Treasury secretary in January 2025.
The photograph allowed Bessent’s home to be geolocated, and he was relocated to a military base for his safety, a source familiar with the matter said, adding: “The news media has an obligation to act responsibly amid growing threats against public officials.”
A wider pattern of threats in Britain
The move came a day after the US removed refuelling aircraft from RAF Mildenhall in eastern England, the second such apparent evacuation in three months, after a threat from Iran, according to the Wall Street Journal. In September, the US withdrew bombers that had been used to strike Iran from RAF Fairford on security grounds.
On Tuesday, US prosecutors charged three men over an alleged Iran-backed plot targeting RAF Fairford, an American-operated airbase in Britain. Iran has denied any links to attacks or incidents in Britain.
Work continues as China trip approaches
Despite the move, Bessent is pressing ahead with his diary. He told the National Committee on US-China Relations in New York on Tuesday that Washington and Beijing should harbour no illusions about their differences on artificial intelligence, even as the two powers cooperate to manage the technology’s risks.
Bessent will travel to China next week for President Donald Trump’s third meeting this year with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in Shenzhen on the sidelines of the 18-19 November APEC leaders’ summit. The meeting is expected to advance a new bilateral dialogue on “superintelligence”, and Bessent repeated that the US objective is to “de-risk, not to decouple” from trade with China.
Frequently asked questions
Why has Scott Bessent moved to a military base?
Two people familiar with the matter said Bessent moved from his Washington home to a US military base after Iranian threats against his life. The New York Times first reported the move.
Where is Bessent staying now?
The location of the base has not been publicly disclosed, and officials have not said when he moved.
What is Operation Economic Outcast?
It is the sanctions and economic pressure campaign against Iran that Bessent has led since August, running alongside a US naval blockade of Iranian ports, aimed at pushing Tehran to end attacks on shipping and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
