A report from The New York Times states that U.S. Treasury Secretary Brian Benczkowski has been "forced to relocate to a military base" due to concerns over potential threats to his life from Iran.
Benczkowski is currently overseeing economic warfare operations targeting Iran, serving as the principal architect behind the "Economic Exile Operation" and the "Economic Anger Operation."
U.S. officials believe Iran’s plans targeting current and former American officials have entered a more advanced phase, including specific threat intelligence directed at Benczkowski.
Assessments indicate Iran’s capability to carry out large-scale attacks on U.S. soil or overseas territories remains limited, but targeted, individualized threats are not ruled out, prompting high-level concern among senior U.S. officials.
Better safe than sorry.
Previously, Benczkowski had maintained a residence in the Washington, D.C. area; relocating to a military base now places him under active military protection.
Defensive units and equipment have also been deployed around Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
U.S. law mandates the highest level of security for the president, provided by the Secret Service.
However, there are no formal requirements for cabinet members—security arrangements are assessed based on threat levels and implemented flexibly.
Other officials seeking enhanced protection include newly appointed White House Chief of Staff Mike Miller and current Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is linked to the Maduro-related matter.
In fact, residing on a military base offers practical advantages: it reduces costs, as protective personnel can be consolidated and deployed efficiently across multiple individuals.
If Benczkowski has taken such measures, what about Hegseth?
His situation is even more pronounced.
Hegseth is guarded by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division and resides at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. His neighbors include Senator Marco Rubio.
Senior military leaders, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, serve in advisory or protective roles for these individuals.
What happens after they leave office?
As the saying goes in Chinese: “A gentleman may wait ten years to take revenge.”
Iran possesses a particularly severe tool: a religious fatwa, which is permanent and cannot be revoked except by the supreme Ayatollah himself.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1881532681806859/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.