Donald Trump said he has instructed the US military to launch an unprecedented attack on Iran if he is assassinated, claiming Tehran has targeted him for years.
Trump dismissed reports of a new Iranian assassination plot despite recent media reports, reiterating that he remains Iran's "number one target" following the 2020 killing of Qasem Soleimani.
In a separate Truth Social post, Trump claimed Iran wanted to resume talks with Washington but asserted that the ceasefire between the two countries was "over."
Trump Says US Would 'Bomb Iran Like Never Before' If He Is Assassinated
Trump said Iran had wanted him dead for years but denied reports suggesting there was fresh intelligence indicating an imminent assassination plot
Summary
US President Donald Trump has claimed he has left instructions for an unprecedented military response against Iran if Tehran succeeds in assassinating him, saying the country would be bombed "at levels that they've never seen before."
Speaking to the New York Post, Trump said Iran had wanted him dead for years but denied reports suggesting there was fresh intelligence indicating an imminent assassination plot.
Trump Warns of Massive Retaliation
"I've been on their list for a long time. That's what we're dealing with," Trump told the New York Post.
He added: "The only thing is, I've left instructions, if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they've never seen before."
The remarks come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran following renewed military exchanges.
Trump's comments followed reports that Israel had shared intelligence with the United States about an alleged Iranian plot targeting him.
However, the US President rejected suggestions that any new threat had emerged.
"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."
In a lighter moment, Trump added: "I hope you'll miss me."
Repeats Claim That He Is Iran's 'Number One Target'
Trump's latest remarks echoed comments he made earlier this week after the NATO summit, where he claimed he remained Iran's "number one target."
"I'm their number one target," Trump said. "They had leaders, they're gone. Now they have another set of leaders. They may be gone. And you know what, I may be gone too, because I'm their number one target."
He also reiterated that Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons and said he did not expect any future conflict with Tehran to become a prolonged war.
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According to the New York Post, Iran has openly sought revenge against Trump since 2020, when he authorised the US drone strike that killed Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani near Baghdad.
US authorities have previously disclosed multiple alleged Iran-linked assassination plots targeting Trump.
Separately, Trump survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024, when a bullet grazed his ear.
Trump Says Ceasefire Is Over
In a separate post on Truth Social, Trump claimed Iran had requested the resumption of talks with the United States but declared that the ceasefire between the two countries had ended.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue 'talks.' We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER! Thank you for your attention to this matter," Trump wrote.
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