Trump reveals he ‘left instructions’ if Iran assassinates him: ‘Bomb them at levels they’ve never seen before’ | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump said he had left instructions for a massive military response if Iran succeeded in his assassination and warned Tehran would face unprecedented retaliation.
In an interview with The New York Post on Friday, Trump said, “I left instructions — if something were to happen, just to literally bomb them at levels they’ve never seen before.”
Trump said he had been the target of Iranian threats “for a long time” but suggested there was no new assassination plot, despite recent reports suggesting Israel had shared intelligence about a possible threat.
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Trump said he had left instructions for a massive military response, suggesting Iran would face unprecedented retaliation if he were assassinated.
Trump says he has been the target of Iranian threats for a long time, especially after the 2020 US strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and escalated tensions between the US and Iran.
The situation has been exacerbated by recent US-Iranian hostilities and attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, which Trump added to when he declared the US-Iranian ceasefire effectively over.
During Khamenei’s funeral, mourners held up banners calling for Trump’s death and chanted slogans, signaling strong anti-American sentiment amid rising tensions.
Recent U.S. military strikes have targeted approximately 90 locations across Iran, reportedly killing 17 people, and were aimed at weakening Iran’s military capabilities, particularly when it comes to threatening shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
“No, no. Israel didn’t come up with anything,” Trump said, adding, “I was No. 1 (on Iran’s kill list) for a long time, and that’s life.”
His remarks come at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran following recent hostilities between the US and Iran and lingering concerns over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran continues to target Trump. The long-term threats date back to the 2020 US strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.
Trump, speaking amid renewed tensions with Tehran, said he remained Iran’s “No. 1 target” and suggested the country’s leadership could face further consequences if hostilities continued. His comments came just days after mourners at the funeral of Iran’s former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei unfurled banners calling for Trump’s death and speakers at the ceremony called for revenge against the US president.
Relations between Washington and Tehran deteriorated sharply after Trump effectively declared a cease-fire between the US and Iran following attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The US subsequently tightened sanctions on Iran’s oil exports and launched nearly 200 strikes across Iran.
At the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump called Iran’s leaders “evil” and said: “I might as well leave because I’m their No. 1 target.” The White House later confirmed that Trump changed the plane during the return trip as a safety precaution due to concerns about Iranian threats.
Read also | Trump says US agrees to more talks with Iran despite declaring ceasefire ‘over’
“Kill Trump” banners displayed at Khamenei’s funeral
Funeral services for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on July 6 were marked by strong anti-US and anti-Israel rhetoric, with mourners carrying “Kill Trump” banners and banners targeting US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Defense Minister Pete Hegseth and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netany.
During the ceremonies, eulogist Mohammad Rasouli called Trump’s killing “our duty” and led chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” drawing applause from mourners.
The funeral procession, described by Iranian state media as one of the largest public gatherings in the country’s modern history, began at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla and is expected to continue through Qom, Iraq’s Shiite shrine of Najaf and Karbala before Khamenei is buried in Mashhad.
The development came a day after Trump said the US could eliminate Iran’s surviving leadership “with one shot” but refrained from keeping the option of negotiations with Tehran.
Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli airstrikes on February 28. After his death, his son Mojtaba Khamenei was appointed as Iran’s new Supreme Leader, but is said to be staying away from the funeral services for security reasons.
Read also | Qatari negotiators visit Iran to revive Washington-Tehran talks: Report
