Israeli intelligence reportedly helped alert the United States to an Iranian plot targeting President Donald Trump, prompting an extraordinary security operation that secretly moved him from Air Force One to a military aircraft while he was in Turkey last month.
According to The Times of Israel, Israeli intelligence indicated Iran was planning to use shoulder-fired missiles to target Trump’s aircraft. Following the warning, the U.S. Secret Service and military quietly moved the president to a smaller Air Force C-32A before he departed Ankara.
Trump later confirmed that he had been transferred to another plane at the direction of the Secret Service and military.
“I go by Secret Service and the military. They wanted me to go in a different flight, different plane,” Trump said.
The operation was reportedly designed to keep Trump’s actual location and aircraft secret. While Trump was moved away from Air Force One, senior officials—including Secretary of State Marco Rubio—remained aboard the larger aircraft. The plane effectively served as a decoy while Trump departed on the smaller military jet.
The reported threat comes amid years of Iranian threats against the U.S. president. Tehran has repeatedly called for Trump’s assassination, particularly following the 2020 U.S. strike that killed Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Qassem Soleimani.
Trump has made clear that he does not trust the Iranian regime and has warned that the United States would respond forcefully to any attempt to assassinate him.
“I’m the last person to trust Iran,” Trump said. “They’ve lied to me constantly.”
The incident also highlights the importance of intelligence cooperation between Israel and the United States. Israeli intelligence has repeatedly helped provide Washington with information about threats originating from Iran and other hostile actors in the region. In this case, the reported warning appears to have contributed to extraordinary measures designed to protect the U.S. president.
The reported attempt to target President Trump is another reminder that the United States and Israel face common enemies and share a common interest in confronting terrorism and Iranian aggression.
The Fellowship and our supporters pray for the protection of American and Israeli leaders, and for continued strength and wisdom for the United States and Israel, as they work together to keep their people safe.