Bessent Moves to Military Base After Iranian Death Threat, Reports Say

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has moved from his home in the Washington, D.C., area to a military base after Iran threatened his life, according to reports by The New York Times and Reuters. Both news organizations attributed their reporting on the relocation to people familiar with the matter.

The Times first reported the move, with Reuters subsequently reporting it as well. CBS News has asked the Treasury Department and the White House for comment. The severity of the threats directed at Bessent remained unclear, according to the account published by the Times.

Bessent has led a U.S. effort to weaken Iran's economy through a network of sanctions. His reported relocation comes amid concerns about Iranian targeting of American officials, including people currently serving in government and those who have left office.

In a statement to the Times, a Treasury Department spokesperson said Bessent “will not be deterred by the Iranian regime's threats.” The spokesperson also said the secretary remained committed to the economic pressure campaign against Iran, indicating that the threats had not changed his commitment to that effort.

The Times reported that Iran had stepped up efforts to target current and former U.S. officials, with Bessent among those targeted. Anonymous sources cited in the report described Iranian plotting against American officials as having reached a “more advanced stage,” although the account did not establish how serious the specific threats against the Treasury secretary were.

U.S. national intelligence chief Jay Clayton issued a warning about Iran last month in an unclassified memorandum sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. CBS News obtained the memo. The warning formed part of the broader concern over threats involving Iran in the Middle East and beyond.

At the time of Clayton's warning, the U.S. military was reducing its presence in the region amid worries about direct threats from Iran and threats from the Iranian-backed Houthi movement in Yemen. Those regional security concerns accompanied the separate reporting about Iranian efforts to target American officials.

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to end the war have been gaining momentum. On Tuesday, Rubio said economic sanctions and other restrictions were proving effective against Iran. Economic pressure remains central to the campaign Bessent has led, even as the reported threat against him has prompted a change in where he lives.