US authorities were more concerned about an Iran attack on President Donald Trump’s life than what was publicly disclosed, Axios reported, citing an excerpt from the book Revenge: The Inside Story of Trump’s Return to Power by Alex Isenstadt on Sunday.
According to Isenstadt, during Trump’s presidential campaign in 2024, officials warned the current president that Tehran had placed operatives in the US with access to surface-to-air missiles, and they were worried Iran would try to crash his private plane.
Isenstadt continued, stating that these concerns over Iran intensified following the second assassination attempt on Trump’s life after multiple shots were fired near his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, in September.
Trump’s security team grew increasingly worried about his safety, leading them to use a decoy plane to reach an event with current Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. Isenstadt mentioned that this plane swap plan was kept under wraps so that most of the staff wouldn’t be aware until after take-off.
“The boss ain’t riding with us today,” White House Chief of Staff Chris LaCivita told the group, according to Isenstadt. “We had to put him into another plane. This is nothing but a sort of test for how things may happen in the future.”
Several of Trump’s aides told Isenstadt that the flight was a “surreal experience” once they understood that Trump’s seat was empty and the rationale for the decoy plane swap.
The aides wondered why they were kept on board if the threat of Iranian missiles was so significant, but the campaign staff reportedly tried to reassure them that they weren’t being used as bait, Isenstadt wrote.
Additionally, Isenstadt wrote in Axios that Trump’s campaign had to face multiple other threats, including a tip that someone might try to shoot up his vehicle after a Long Island rally in September.
Furthermore, during Trump’s visit to Pennsylvania the next week, his security detail shot down a drone that was seen following his car.
‘Maximum pressure’ on Iran
Last week, ahead of his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump signed the presidential memorandum reimposing Washington’s tough policy on Iran that was practiced throughout his first term.
As he signed the memo, Trump described it as very tough and said he was torn on whether to make the move. He said Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and he hopes that a deal can be worked out with Tehran.
Trump added that Iran “would be obliterated” were to try to retaliate and kill him.
Jesus Christ is King
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