US officials are scrutinising intelligence shared by Israel about a possible Iranian plot to assassinate President Donald Trump, a warning that reportedly contributed to a decision to move him to an older, better-protected Air Force One during his return from Turkey, according to The Wall Street Journal. The report, published on Friday, 11 July, has intensified scrutiny of Washington's security posture as US-Iran tensions reach a new peak.

The Intelligence Warning

The intelligence, reportedly shared by Israel, indicated a fresh Iranian plan to kill Trump. However, some US officials did not consider the information entirely credible. CNN separately reported that the intelligence involved more general discussion among hardliners in Tehran about killing the President, rather than a specific, operational plot. The distinction matters: a generalised discussion carries a different threat level than a concrete plan with identified actors and timelines.

The Air Force One Switch

Trump had travelled to a NATO summit in Ankara aboard a Boeing 747 donated by Qatar and modified by the US Air Force. On his return, he switched to an older Air Force One for part of the journey — flying first to Britain before boarding the newer aircraft again for the final leg to Washington. The Wall Street Journal reported that the decision reflected concerns that the donated aircraft lacked certain defensive capabilities needed in a heightened threat environment. The precise defensive systems aboard Air Force One are classified.

Trump denied on Wednesday that a security concern drove the switch. When asked whether he was aware of a credible Iranian threat against his aircraft, he said he faced threats 'all the time' and was 'number one on their list.' White House communications director Steven Cheung said the newer aircraft 'has been fitted with high-level security protocols' to protect the President.

Questions Over Israeli Motives

Some US officials also raised questions about whether Israel shared the intelligence to steer Washington toward a wider war with Iran, according to The Wall Street Journal. They cautioned that a single piece of intelligence offers only a fragmentary picture of any possible threat. A spokeswoman for the Israeli Embassy rejected suggestions of a hidden motive, stating that Israel shares intelligence with the United States because of the close partnership between the two countries.

Broader Threat Context

Nathan Sales, a former State Department counterterrorism coordinator, said: 'The Iranian regime remains a clear and present danger to President Trump — and to the countless other Americans it has targeted for assassination and kidnapping on American soil.' This comes amid Trump's announcement on Friday that the US-Iran ceasefire had ended, though negotiations would continue. 'The Cease Fire is OVER!' he wrote on Truth Social.

Iranian threats against Trump predate the current conflict. His 2024 presidential campaign said it had been briefed on 'real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him in an effort to destabilize and sow chaos in the United States.' The backdrop is well-established: Trump ordered the January 2020 drone strike in Baghdad that killed Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani, and Iranian authorities have repeatedly vowed revenge for that killing. The latest intelligence, however credible, lands in a threat environment that has been building for over five years.

With the ceasefire now formally declared over and US strikes on Iran renewed following Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, security analysts warn that retaliatory threats against American officials and interests across the Middle East are likely to intensify in the days ahead.