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US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been moved from his home in Washington, DC, to a military base after alleged threats linked to Iran, according to US media reports cited by the BBC.
CBS, the BBC’s US partner, reported that the relocation followed publication of a photo of Bessent’s home in the “Wall Street Journal”. Bessent has led efforts to isolate Iran economically through sanctions and a broader economic blockade.
The precise nature of the threats is unclear. US intelligence has warned that Iran has “substantially increased” efforts to target Americans, including government officials.
“After the Wall Street Journal published an article featuring an online photo that allowed the location of the secretary’s Georgetown home to be geo-located, security concerns began to increase,” a source told CBS.
Georgetown is an affluent area of Washington where a number of government officials and prominent residents live. The source said the security concerns prompted authorities to move Bessent to a military base in the area.
A Treasury Department spokesperson said Bessent “will not be deterred” by threats and “remains committed” to the US effort to pressure Iran’s economy. The BBC said it had contacted the White House for comment.
In September, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton warned that Iran had “substantially increased” efforts to target Americans. The “New York Times” has reported that the effort includes targeting current and former US officials, and quoted a source as saying it had “reached a more advanced stage”.
Other US officials reportedly on Iran’s list of potential targets include former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former National Security Adviser John Bolton and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley.
Milley and Bolton’s security teams were withdrawn by the Trump administration shortly after Donald Trump returned to office last year.
Bessent is among several administration officials who live on military bases. White House chief of staff Stephen Miller was moved to a base in late 2025, before the conflict with Iran began.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio also live on military bases. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi and former intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard did so as well.
