President Donald Trump has declared that he has issued explicit orders for overwhelming retaliation against Iran should the nation ever succeed in an alleged assassination plot against him, vowing that there would be 'hell to pay.' In an interview with The Post, Trump stated, 'I've been on their list for a long time. That's what we're dealing with. … The only thing is, I've left instructions — if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they've never seen before.'
No Fresh Plot, but Longstanding Threat
When questioned about recent reports that Israel had flagged intelligence of a new plot to assassinate the US president, Trump dismissed the notion of a fresh Iranian plan, though he acknowledged that Tehran has long sought his death. '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, you know.' He added with a wry remark, 'I hope you'll miss me.'
The comments come after Israel reportedly shared intelligence with the US concerning a new Iranian assassination plot targeting Donald Trump. Iran has openly sought the president's assassination since 2020, when Trump directed the strike that killed Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani. Since then, multiple assassination plots against Trump have been foiled, including an incident where an assassin's bullet grazed his ear at a political rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024.
Impact and Implications
Trump's stark warning underscores the enduring tensions between the US and Iran, which have persisted since the Soleimani killing. The president's directive for 'bomb them at levels never seen before' signals a readiness to escalate military action dramatically, potentially leading to a broader conflict. The mention of Israel's intelligence sharing also highlights the close coordination between the two allies on Iranian threats.
