Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has reportedly been relocated to a military base amid threats from Iran, according to people familiar with the move who spoke to the New York Times.
Bessent oversees Operation Economic Outcast, the U.S. campaign to put financial pressure on Iran. The operation has increased the risks he faces, the Times reported, citing three people with knowledge of the situation.
A Treasury spokesperson said Iran’s threats would not change Bessent’s plans. He remains committed to the operation and to maintaining the blockade, the spokesperson said, adding that the measures are pushing Iran’s economy toward collapse.
Other Trump administration officials have also moved into protected housing, including former Attorney General Pam Bondi and new White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, according to the Times.
Bessent has described the financial campaign as successful. U.S. officials say Iran’s economy is shrinking, its currency is weakening further, and living standards are falling.
Reuters reported that concerns about threats to Bessent grew after the Wall Street Journal published an aerial photograph of his new home in Georgetown. A source familiar with the matter said the image could help adversaries determine the home’s location. The source also said news organizations should act responsibly as threats against public officials increase.
Bessent bought the mansion in 2025 for $12.5 million.
The economic effects of the U.S. military operation in Iran have been cited by many as a major factor behind Republicans’ losses in the midterm elections.
Speaking on Veterans Day, President Donald Trump said the United States did not begin a war with Iran, arguing that Iran had been waging war against America since 1979. He said it was time to fight back and that the U.S. had won, though a “total victory” was still needed before the conflict could end.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said sanctions were increasingly hurting Iran, saying the country was “bleeding economically.”
