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By Steven Frank
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has moved out of his Washington-area home and onto a military base following threats against his life from Iran, according to a new report.
Bessent's relocation, first reported by The New York Times on Tuesday, comes as U.S. officials assess that Iranian efforts to target current and former American officials have reached a more advanced stage.
Three people familiar with the matter told the Times that intelligence about threats against Bessent contributed to the assessment. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.
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Bessent is the third current Trump Cabinet member reported to have moved into military housing, following Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who live at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C.
The Treasury secretary's move comes as he leads the Trump administration's economic pressure campaign against Iran, seeking to isolate the country financially through sanctions and restrictions on trade routes.
A Treasury Department spokesperson told the Times that Bessent "will not be deterred by the Iranian regime's threats" and remains committed to carrying out the administration's pressure campaign.
Newsweek has contacted the Treasury Department and the White House for comment.
Bessent's Move Follows Iranian Threats
U.S. officials in recent weeks concluded that Iranian plotting against current and former American officials had reached a more advanced stage, according to the Times. Intelligence about threats against Bessent was among the information contributing to that assessment.
The severity of the threats against the Treasury secretary was not immediately clear. U.S. officials have said Iran's ability to carry out large-scale attacks in the United States and elsewhere overseas remains limited, even as they take specific threats against individuals seriously.
Bessent has been a central figure in the administration's effort to weaken Iran's economy and cut off financial resources available to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
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Since August, the Treasury Department has pursued a campaign of tougher sanctions and restrictions on trade routes in an effort to isolate Tehran financially. The administration has argued that the measures are putting pressure on Iran's economy, weakening its currency and worsening living conditions.
However, U.S. intelligence assessments have suggested that economic pressure alone may not persuade Iran's hard-line leadership to give up power. Officials have assessed that the country's leaders remain determined to retain control despite the economic consequences.
Iran has previously been accused of plotting attacks against American officials. In 2024, federal prosecutors charged Farhad Shakeri, whom they described as an operative of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in an alleged plot to kill President Donald Trump.
The alleged effort was described by prosecutors as retaliation for the 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani. Iranian threats have also targeted other people involved in that operation.
Other Trump Officials Have Relocated
Bessent is not the first senior Trump administration official to leave a private residence for military housing or other protected accommodations amid security concerns.
Rubio and Hegseth have been living on Generals' Row at Fort McNair, a military installation in Washington that traditionally houses senior military officers. Their moves were reported last year, as several administration officials sought more secure accommodations.
Kristi Noem, then the homeland security secretary, also moved into military housing at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington. She took up residence in a home typically designated for the Coast Guard commandant after the location of her Washington apartment building was publicized.
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White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and his family also moved into military housing after facing protests and security concerns outside their Arlington, Virginia, home. The move followed incidents involving protesters near the property and the publication of the family's address.
Miller's relocation was not reported as being prompted by Iranian threats. The circumstances surrounding the various officials' moves have differed, with some linked to protests, the disclosure of home addresses or other security concerns.
The Atlantic reported in October 2025 that at least six senior political appointees were living in Washington-area military housing. The publication also noted that the influx of civilian officials was putting pressure on housing traditionally reserved for senior military personnel.
US Raises Alert Over Iranian Activity
The reported move comes amid broader concerns among U.S. officials about Iranian efforts to target Americans.
Last month, the administration placed some U.S. personnel in the Middle East on heightened alert and reduced staffing at certain embassies and consulates amid intelligence indicating that Iran was further along in planning attacks against Americans.
The U.S. military also moved bombers from a base in the United Kingdom following concerns about a suspected terrorist plot, according to the Times.
Iran's alleged efforts to target American officials have been a concern for successive administrations. The threat has been particularly pronounced for people associated with the 2020 killing of Soleimani, which Tehran vowed to avenge.
The Biden administration maintained security details for some officials who faced threats related to the strike. Trump revoked protections for some former advisers shortly after returning to office.
The latest reported relocation underscores the security concerns facing senior members of the administration as Washington continues its confrontation with Tehran. It remains unclear how long Bessent is expected to stay in military housing or whether officials anticipate further changes to his security arrangements.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Edward T. Cummins
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