Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Relocates to Military Base Amid Heightened Iran Threats
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was moved to a military installation for safety after intelligence indicated increased Iranian targeting of American personnel, as the administration intensifies sanctions against Tehran.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been transferred to a military base following concerns for his personal safety, officials said. The relocation follows a wave of media coverage that revealed Bessent's home address and follows earlier reports by The New York Times.
U.S. intelligence indicates that Iran has escalated efforts to target American personnel in the Middle East and beyond, prompting the State Department to cut staff at four regional embassies last month. President Donald Trump said the more than eight-month-old conflict with Iran is "effectively over" militarily, while the administration continues a broad financial campaign aimed at pressuring Tehran over its nuclear program.
The Treasury Department announced an "economic D-Day" against Iran in August, launching a sweeping sanctions drive. U.S. officials have been meeting privately in Europe and at the United Nations General Assembly to urge Iran's key trading partners to sever financial links or face retaliation. The United Arab Emirates and Turkey have already blocked Iran's leading commercial bank from processing transactions, and several Iranian airlines have lost access to regional routes between Istanbul and Muscat.
Other senior officials in the Trump administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, also reside on military installations.