President Donald Trump has revealed that he has given his advisers instructions for a massive military response against Iran should he be killed in an assassination attempt, as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate.
Speaking to the New York Post, Trump said he believes he has been a target of Iranian threats for years and claimed he has already prepared orders outlining how the United States should respond if he is assassinated.
“I’ve been on their list for a long time,” Trump said, arguing that the threat was not new.
He added that he had left instructions for officials to launch a devastating response “at levels that they’ve never seen before” if anything happened to him.
Trump dismisses reports of new assassination plot
The president pushed back against reports that Israeli intelligence had recently uncovered a specific plot targeting him, saying the danger from Iran has existed for a much longer period.
Trump said Israel had not presented him with a new threat assessment and insisted that Tehran’s hostility toward him dates back years.
The tensions between Trump and Iran intensified during his first term after he authorized a US drone strike in 2020 that killed Iranian military commander General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad.
Iranian officials have repeatedly blamed Trump for the operation and vowed revenge.
Security concerns grow after previous attacks
The president’s comments come amid heightened concerns over threats against him, following several alleged assassination attempts and disrupted plots.
During a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024, Trump was injured when a gunman opened fire, with a bullet grazing his ear before Secret Service agents rushed him from the stage.
The incident became one of the most serious security breaches involving a US presidential candidate in recent history.
Additional security concerns have continued as Trump has faced threats during his political activities.
Trump previously suggested that he might have reconsidered running for office if he had fully understood the level of danger that would come with the presidency.
Trump takes extra security measures during international travel
Security fears also influenced Trump’s recent travel arrangements, with the president temporarily using an older Boeing 747-200 aircraft known as Air Force One during part of his return journey from a NATO summit in Turkey.
He later switched to a newer aircraft provided by Qatar for the transatlantic portion of the trip as officials continued monitoring the threat environment.
Meanwhile, anti-Trump messages have appeared in Tehran, including signs calling for his death written in both English and Farsi.
The displays have been viewed as a symbol of the continuing hostility between Iran and the Trump administration.
US expands military response against Iran
The administration has increased military action against Iran following a series of attacks on commercial ships in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Trump has warned that the United States will not allow Iran to threaten global shipping routes without consequences, saying attacks on vessels require a strong response.
While the president has indicated he wants tensions to end, officials have suggested that the scale and duration of the military campaign will depend on Tehran’s next moves.
Sources familiar with the administration’s thinking said Trump believes the United States cannot ignore attacks on international shipping and must respond when American interests are threatened.
Informal nickname emerges for military campaign
Amid the escalating confrontation, some Trump advisers have reportedly used the unofficial nickname “Operation B**** Slap” when discussing the military response in private communications.
However, officials from the White House and Pentagon stressed that the phrase is only an informal description and is not the official name of any US military operation.
The administration has indicated that strikes could continue for weeks if Iran refuses to reduce tensions or stop actions viewed by Washington as aggressive.
Iran conflict becomes increasingly personal for Trump
Former officials and advisers have suggested that the growing confrontation with Iran has taken on a personal dimension for Trump because of the assassination threats linked to his previous decisions.
The president has repeatedly connected Iran’s hostility toward him with the killing of Soleimani and has argued that Tehran’s actions represent a direct challenge to US security.
As tensions continue to rise, officials say Trump’s response will depend on whether Iran chooses escalation or moves toward reducing conflict.
