Bessent relocates to military base amid Iranian threats
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has moved from his Washington DC-area home to a US military base, according to two people familiar with the matter and reports first published by The New York Times. The relocation followed threats against his life attributed to Iran. A senior intelligence official warned in a memo late last month that Iranian plots against US personnel and American citizens had reached an advanced stage. Bessent leads the Trump administration's sanctions and economic pressure campaign against Iran, which he has directed since August. Bessent says the Secret Service directed the move, which he links to a Wall Street Journal photograph that revealed his home's location.
Key facts
- Bessent bought the Georgetown mansion for $12.5 million, according to Wall Street Journal reporting cited by ABC News.
- Attorney General Todd Blanche has also lived on a US military base since early 2026, per a NewsNation report.
- US national intelligence chief Jay Clayton warned last month that Iran had substantially increased its activity in the Middle East.
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Why it matters
The relocation of a senior cabinet official follows intelligence warnings of advanced Iranian plots against US officials.
What changed
First published from The Straits Times, South China Morning Post, The Independent, CBS News and ABC News (Australia)