The CIA had “low confidence” in Israeli-provided intelligence alleging an Iranian assassination threat against US President Donald Trump before an extraordinary security operation altered his departure from Türkiye following the NATO summit in Ankara on July 8, according to reports citing current and former US officials.
Despite doubts about the intelligence, the Secret Service concluded that the potential danger warranted additional precautions.
CIA analysts reportedly did not consider the Israeli intelligence compelling and communicated their skepticism to Trump administration officials.
One US official described the information as “Israeli-derived, not U.S.-generated, and viewed as low confidence.”
Trump was nevertheless secretly transferred from the presidential aircraft at the airport to a military C-32A using a catering truck.
He then flew with a small group of aides to RAF Mildenhall in Britain, escorted by F-16 fighter jets, while officials and journalists traveled separately aboard the legacy Air Force One.
Trump later rejoined the primary presidential aircraft at Mildenhall.
The operation followed concerns over whether the Boeing 747-8 gifted to the United States by Qatar had sufficient security protections.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was reportedly briefed on both the Israeli intelligence and the Secret Service operation but traveled aboard the legacy Air Force One.
Current and former US intelligence officials cited in the reports also questioned why Israel provided the information and whether it was intended solely to warn Washington.
Some reportedly believed the intelligence could have been intended partly to influence Trump's decision-making and US regional policy.
A former official said the warning fit “a broader pattern of Israeli intelligence reporting that some officials see as designed as much to shape presidential decision-making as to inform it.”
The CIA declined to comment, while the Israeli Embassy in Washington did not immediately provide details.
The White House emphasized that Trump has faced numerous threats and said necessary measures were taken to ensure his safety.
Trump said the aircraft decision was made by the Secret Service and that he followed the agency's instructions.
US officials similarly defended the precautions despite doubts surrounding the intelligence, citing the Secret Service's responsibility to protect the president.