Threatened by Iran, Treasury Secretary Bessent leaves home
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on La Nouvelle Tribune and Nile Post
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent left his Washington residence for a military base following threats attributed to Iran, according to La Nouvelle Tribune. Authorities strengthened his security after an online photo made it possible to locate his home, while US intelligence reported increased Iranian efforts targeting American officials.
Scott Bessent’s move to a military base came after heightened security concerns linked to his Georgetown home. A source cited by CBS said that the Wall Street Journal’s publication of a photo online had made it possible to geolocate the Treasury secretary’s residence, leading to strengthened protection measures and then his transfer.
In September, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton warned that Iran had “significantly increased” its efforts to target Americans. The New York Times reported that the campaign notably targeted current and former US officials, including Mike Pompeo, John Bolton and Mark Milley, and that it had reached a more advanced stage.
Several senior US administration officials already live on military bases, including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. White House chief of staff Stephen Miller had also been transferred there in late 2025.
The tensions followed the US and Israeli air offensive against Iran in February, which triggered Iranian reprisals in the region and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A preliminary agreement reached in June to end the war and reopen the strait subsequently collapsed after Iranian attacks on shipping resumed and the US blockade targeting Iranian ports was reinstated.
