Donald Trump says he has left behind explicit instructions calling for overwhelming U.S. military retaliation if Iran were to succeed in assassinating him.
“I’ve been on their list for a long time. That’s what we’re dealing with,” Trump told the New York Post on Friday. “The only thing is, I’ve left instructions… if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before.”
When asked about recent intelligence suggesting Israel had identified an active plot against him this week, Trump downplayed the notion that the threat was new, instead stressing that he believes Tehran has harbored lethal intentions toward him for years.
“No, no. Israel came up with nothing. No, no,” Trump said. “I’ve been number one for a long time, and it’s the way life is, you know.”
Iran’s public threats against Trump date back to his first term in office, after he authorized the 2020 military strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.
Security concerns around Trump have grown sharper in recent months, with multiple assassination plots reportedly disrupted after the July 13, 2024, campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a sniper’s bullet grazed his ear, as well as more recent concerns tied to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
At his final press conference in Ankara, Turkey, Trump told reporters he might have viewed the decision to become President differently had he known the threats against his life would be so numerous.
Amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran, Trump temporarily used the older Boeing 747-200 Air Force One for part of his return journey from the NATO summit in Turkey. He later transferred to the newer aircraft gifted by Qatar for the transatlantic portion of the trip.
Ominous ‘Kill Trump’ signs, written in both English and Farsi, have also been erected across the capital in Tehran, a stark reminder of the regime’s ongoing anger and isolation on the world stage.
The threat environment surrounding Trump has intensified recently, marked by several disrupted assassination plots following the July 13, 2024, campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a sniper’s bullet grazed his ear
Trump is assisted by the Secret Service after gunfire rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024
Ominous ‘Kill Trump’ signs – written in both English and Farsi – have also been erected across the capital, a stark reminder of the regime’s ongoing anger and isolation on the world stage
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said the US had responded ’20-1′ to Iran’s attacks
The Trump administration has intensified its military operations against Iran following several recent attacks on commercial shipping vessels in the critical Strait of Hormuz.
Behind the scenes, administration officials indicate that the length and intensity of this renewed bombing campaign hinge entirely on Tehran’s actions over the coming days.
The White House has made it clear that the US is prepared to sustain these retaliatory strikes for weeks if Iran does not back down.
According to reporting from the New York Post, some of Trump’s advisers have privately referred to the military offensive by the informal nickname ‘Operation B**** Slap’ in internal emails and conversations.
However, multiple administration officials, along with representatives from the White House and the Pentagon, have emphasized that this phrase is strictly informal and is not the official name of any US military operation.
The President has firmly stated that he will not allow disruptions to international shipping lanes to go unanswered, especially after Iran targeted multiple vessels earlier in the week.
A source close to the White House told the Post that the President still wants the situation to be over, but if Iran is shooting at ships, he is not going to sit there and do nothing.
Additionally, a former White House official noted that as tensions between the two nations continue to mount, Trump’s decision-making regarding the conflict has become increasingly personal.
