Trump Says He Ordered Retaliatory Strikes on Iran If Assassinated
United States President Donald Trump has stated that he directed officials to carry out massive retaliatory strikes against Iran if the Islamic Republic succeeds in assassinating him. In an interview with the New York Post, Trump claimed that he has been on Iran's target list for years and that he has left instructions for an overwhelming response.
"I've been on their list for a long time. That's what we're dealing with... The only thing is, I've left instructions, if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they've never seen before," Trump said.
When asked about a recent plot to assassinate him that Israel had reportedly warned about, Trump dismissed the report, saying, "No, no. Israel came up with nothing. No, no." He reiterated his belief that Iran has wanted him dead for years, stating, "I've been No. 1 [on Iran's kill list] for a long time, and it's the way life is, you know."
Trump's comments come amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, following the US-directed strike that killed Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in 2020. Since then, Trump has repeatedly asserted that he is a primary target for Iran. He made similar remarks at a NATO summit in Turkey, where he claimed to be "their number one target."
The White House has not independently confirmed the existence of any new assassination plot. Trump's statements appear to be part of a pattern of unverified claims about threats to his safety. The former president has a history of making such assertions without providing evidence.
Trump also declared that the ceasefire arrangement with Iran is "over," calling Iranian negotiators "scum" and suggesting that further talks would be a waste of time. "They're vicious, violent people... so far as I'm concerned, it's over," he said.
These remarks follow reports of anti-US and anti-Israel slogans at the funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, including calls for the assassination of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, the impact of such slogans on official Iranian policy remains unclear.
It is important to note that Trump's claims about being on a "kill list" and about Iran's intentions have not been independently verified. The Iranian government has not publicly confirmed any such list. The situation reflects ongoing hostility between the two nations, but also underscores the need for careful verification of statements by political leaders.
