Treasury Secretary Bessent Moves to Military Base After Iranian Threats Against His Life

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has moved from his Washington home to a U.S. military base after Iranian threats against his life, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters on Tuesday. The New York Times first reported the move.

Treasury officials confirmed the relocation. A Treasury spokesperson said in a statement that Bessent “will not be deterred by the Iranian regime’s threats and remains committed to executing Operation Economic Outcast and maintaining the blockade, which together are collapsing Iran’s economy.” The location of the base was not disclosed, and the severity of the threats was not immediately clear.

Threats followed the sanctions campaign

Bessent has led the U.S. sanctions and economic pressure campaign against Iran, called Operation Economic Outcast, since August. The campaign aims to push Tehran to end attacks on shipping and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has been largely closed since the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. The campaign runs alongside a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and has included sanctions on Middle Eastern bank branches and other financial firms that handle transactions with Iran.

A senior intelligence official in the Trump administration warned in a memo seen by Reuters late last month that Iranian plots against U.S. personnel and American citizens had reached an advanced stage. Iran has denied plotting attacks on officials and people on U.S. soil, and the Times reported that U.S. officials have noted Iran’s ability to carry out large-scale attacks in the United States is limited.

Security concerns around Bessent grew after the Wall Street Journal published an aerial view of the Georgetown home he bought for $12.5 million shortly after his confirmation as Treasury secretary in January 2025, a source familiar with the matter said. The photo allowed the home to be located, and Bessent was moved to the base for his safety.

The latest official to move onto a base

The move came the same day the Justice Department announced charges against three men accused of involvement in nearly 20 plots in the United States and Europe. According to the Justice Department, the three tried to stage attacks on Jewish communities in the United States and Britain and were tied to a suspected plot at RAF Fairford, a British airbase used by American forces.

Bessent is the latest senior Trump administration official to move onto a military base. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth live on a military base in Washington, Rubio has said, and former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem lived on a Washington-area base toward the end of her time in the job. Stephen Miller, now the White House chief of staff, moved onto military housing in September 2025 after what he described as harassment at his home in Virginia.

Reporting based on coverage by Reuters, The New York Times and USA Today.