President Donald Trump has said he has left standing instructions for the United States to launch an overwhelming military strike against Iran if he is assassinated, amid renewed attention on threats against him and heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Get today's headlines by email 
Speaking to the New York Post on Friday, Trump said Iran had targeted him for years and claimed he had already directed how the U.S. should respond if such an attack were carried out.
"I've been on their list for a long time. That's what we're dealing with," Trump said. "The only thing is, I've left instructions — if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they've never seen before."
Assassination Threats
Trump's remarks came a day after The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel had shared intelligence with U.S. officials suggesting there was a new Iranian plot to assassinate the president.
However, Trump dismissed suggestions that Israel had uncovered fresh information.
"No, no. Israel came up with nothing. No, no," he said. "I've been No. 1 [on Iran's kill list] for a long time, and it's the way life is."
CNN, citing U.S. officials, reported that the Israeli intelligence may have been intended to influence Trump's thinking as he considers whether to expand military action against Iran. According to the report, Israel has advocated for stronger military intervention, while Trump has continued to pursue negotiations despite the escalating conflict.
Long-Running Hostility
Iran has been accused of seeking revenge against Trump since he ordered the January 2020 U.S. strike that killed senior Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani.
Reuters also reported that during funeral processions this week for Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, crowds chanted "Death to America," while banners reading "We Will Kill Trump" were displayed.
Earlier this week, Trump also referred to the threats while speaking to reporters at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.
"I'm their No. 1 target because they're scum," he said.
Questions were also raised after Trump returned from Turkey aboard the older Air Force One rather than the newer aircraft gifted by Qatar. The White House played down any suggestion that the decision reflected increased security concerns.
Military Escalation
Relations between Washington and Tehran have deteriorated sharply in recent days.
The United States carried out strikes on 90 targets inside Iran on Wednesday after Tehran targeted shipping vessels in the strategic strait. The military action marked a significant escalation in the confrontation between the two countries.
On Friday, Trump said Iran had requested that peace talks continue and that Washington had agreed to further negotiations. At the same time, he declared that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran was "over."
Earlier in the week, the president also ended the U.S. sanctions waiver covering Iranian oil exports, increasing economic pressure on Tehran.
Join the discussion? 
11 July 2026
-
5
-
1
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment