President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Iran on Friday, stating that the United States would "decimate and destroy" the country if Tehran carried out an assassination attempt against him. Trump made the statement on his social media platform, saying that 1,000 missiles were locked and loaded, ready to be launched at Iran if the country followed through on its threat.
According to Trump, he had already directed the U.S. military to prepare for retaliation if an assassination attempt was made against him. He claimed that the military was ready to completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran, and that orders had been given to that effect.
The president's comments came amid reports that Iranian intelligence had shared information with U.S. officials indicating a new plot to assassinate Trump. Earlier in the week, Trump told reporters that he remained Iran's top target, stating that he was "No. 1 on the kill list for Iran."
Trump also revealed that he had left standing instructions to strike Iran if an assassination attempt against him succeeded. He stated that he had been on Iran's kill list for a long time and that the U.S. military was prepared to take action if necessary.
The U.S. Secret Service had taken precautions to ensure Trump's safety, recommending that he travel on the older Air Force One rather than the newly retrofitted Boeing 747. The White House stated that the new Air Force One was equipped with advanced security features to ensure the president's safety.
Iran has sought Trump's assassination since he ordered a military strike in 2020 that killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani. Recently, mourners called for Trump's death during the funeral for Iran's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The comments come as a U.S.-Iran ceasefire has unraveled in recent days, with Iran attacking commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and prompting renewed U.S. military action. Trump has declared the ceasefire "over" and warned of further action if Iran continues its attacks.
