President Donald Trump said he has left instructions for a severe U.S. military response if Iran successfully assassinates him, as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate following recent attacks on commercial shipping in the Middle East.
Speaking to the New York Post on Friday, Trump said Iran has viewed him as a target for years and claimed he has prepared contingency plans in the event of his death.
“I’ve been on their list for a long time,” Trump said. “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 dismissed reports suggesting Israel had recently uncovered a new Iranian assassination plot targeting him, arguing the threat has existed for years.
“No, no. Israel came up with nothing,” Trump said. “I’ve been number one for a long time, and it’s the way life is.”
Iran’s threats against Trump date back to the January 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani during Trump’s first administration. Iranian officials have repeatedly vowed revenge for Soleimani’s death.
The president’s comments come amid heightened security concerns following multiple assassination attempts and alleged plots targeting him since the July 13, 2024, campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman grazed Trump’s ear before being killed by Secret Service snipers. Authorities have also disrupted additional alleged threats in the months that followed.
Trump recently acknowledged the ongoing security risks while speaking to reporters during the NATO summit in Turkey, saying he may have reconsidered seeking another term had he known the number of threats he would face.
The administration has simultaneously expanded military operations against Iran following recent attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest energy shipping routes.
According to the report, senior administration officials have indicated the duration of the military campaign will depend largely on Iran’s future actions. Officials reportedly said the United States is prepared to continue strikes for weeks if Tehran continues attacking international shipping.
The New York Post also reported that some of Trump’s advisers have informally referred to the military campaign as “Operation B**** Slap” in internal conversations and emails.
White House and Pentagon officials, however, emphasized that the phrase is not the official name of any U.S. military operation and is instead an unofficial nickname used by some advisers.
Trump has repeatedly stated that attacks on international shipping will not go unanswered, per the Daily Mail.
According to a source familiar with White House deliberations, the president would prefer the conflict to end but believes military action is necessary if Iran continues targeting commercial vessels.
Another former White House official told the newspaper that Trump’s approach to the conflict has become increasingly personal as tensions with Iran have intensified.
