Following reported threats on his life linked to Iran, the United States Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, has been relocated from his Washington DC residence to a nearby military base. The shift was prompted after a photograph of Bessent's home in Georgetown, an affluent area housing several government officials and prominent residents, was published in the Wall Street Journal, according to CBS, the BBC's US partner.
Bessent has been instrumental in implementing economic sanctions against Iran as part of a broader economic blockade. Intelligence agencies have reportedly warned of increased Iranian efforts to target Americans, including officials, with unspecified threats against Bessent being one such instance. The Treasury Department confirmed that Bessent remains undeterred and committed to pressuring Iran's economy amidst these circumstances.
In recent months, concerns regarding the safety of US officials have heightened, with Iran allegedly targeting current and former US officials. Other administration officials reportedly residing on military bases include White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former Attorney General Pam Bondi, and former intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard. This trend began in late 2025, with the White House's new chief of staff, Stephen Miller, being moved to a military base prior to the conflict with Iran.
The escalating tensions between the US and Iran culminated in an air campaign in February, resulting in the death of Iran's leader and retaliatory strikes on US allies across the region. Despite a preliminary agreement in June aimed at ending the conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the situation has since deteriorated due to continued Iranian attacks on shipping and the reinstatement of US blockades.