Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Nov 11: US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent has moved from his residence in Washington, DC, to an undisclosed military base following alleged threats to his life from Iran, according to media reports.
The New York Times and Reuters reported the relocation on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. However, the severity of the threats remained unclear. Iran has previously denied plotting attacks against US officials and individuals on American soil.
Bessent has been leading a US economic pressure campaign against Iran, known as Operation Economic Outcast, since August. The initiative aims to pressure Tehran to end attacks on shipping and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
In April, the US announced a blockade on Iranian ports, but Tehran has continued to defy Washington despite the naval restrictions.
A spokesperson for Bessent told Reuters in an emailed statement that the Treasury Secretary would not be deterred by threats from the Iranian regime and remained committed to implementing Operation Economic Outcast and maintaining the blockade, which together were “collapsing Iran’s economy”.
A senior intelligence official in the Trump administration had warned in a memo seen by Reuters late last month that Iranian plots targeting US citizens had reached an advanced stage.
Security concerns surrounding Bessent reportedly intensified after The Wall Street Journal published an aerial photograph of his Georgetown mansion, which he purchased for $12.5 million shortly after his confirmation as Treasury Secretary in January 2025.
The photograph made it possible to identify the location of his residence, prompting his relocation to a military base for safety, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
“The news media has an obligation to act responsibly amid growing threats against public officials,” the source said.
The New York Times reported that US officials believed Iran's capacity to carry out large-scale attacks in the US and other overseas territories remained limited. However, US National Intelligence chief Jay Clayton warned last month that Tehran had “substantially increased” efforts to target Americans in the Middle East and elsewhere.
These efforts reportedly included intensified targeting of serving and former US officials, including Bessent, the newspaper said, citing three sources familiar with the matter.
The security concerns come amid the ongoing conflict involving Iran, after US and Israeli attacks killed several senior Iranian officials, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the early stages of the war.