US President Donald Trump defended his first year in office and issued a blunt warning to Iran on the anniversary of his second inauguration.
Trump said he had already left “very firm instructions” on how the United States should respond if Iran tried to assassinate him, and warned of overwhelming retaliation.
“Whatever happens, the whole country is going to be blown up,” Trump told NewsNation. “I would totally hit them that hard. But I have very firm instructions.”
“Wipe them off the face of this Earth”
The president said any such move by Tehran would provoke a reaction against the entire country, not just the individuals involved.
“If Iran tries to do that, we will wipe them off the face of the Earth,” Trump said, stressing that the response would be decisive and uncompromising.
Criticism of Biden’s handling of threats
Trump also took aim at former President Joe Biden, accusing him of not responding strongly enough to Iranian threats during his time in office.
“The president has to defend the president,” Trump said, adding that a tougher stance is needed to deter adversaries.
“Even if he’s not the president”
Trump added that his approach to retaliation would go beyond threats against the sitting US leader.
“I would respond strongly even if it was anyone — not even the president,” he said, calling the issue one of national strength and deterrence.
The Iranian threat refers to past assassination attempts
Trump is facing renewed threats from Iran after images broadcast by Iranian state television appeared to be aimed directly at him.
Last week, Iranian state media aired a picture of Trump linked to the 2024 assassination attempt on Butler, with the ominous caption: “He won’t miss the mark this time.
A History of Iranian Conspiracies
Trump has faced several assassination threats from Iran in recent years. In the same year as the attempted roundup of Butler, the U.S. Justice Department said it had foiled an Iranian-led plot after arresting a man allegedly tasked by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to kill the president.
In 2022, the Iranian regime released a video of an assassination attempt on Trump at his Mar-a-Lago golf course.
