Trump Vows to Obliterate Iran Over Assassination Threat \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ President Donald Trump declared that he has left orders to “obliterate” Iran if the country assassinates him. His statement comes amid ongoing Iranian threats against Trump and former U.S. officials. The Justice Department previously uncovered an Iranian plot to assassinate Trump, linking it to Farhad Shakeri, an Iranian government asset. Trump’s 2020 killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani remains a key source of tensions between Tehran and Washington. Despite security concerns, Trump recently revoked federal protection for several former officials who also face Iranian threats.
Quick Looks
- Trump warned that Iran would be “obliterated” if it attempts to assassinate him.
- The U.S. has tracked Iranian threats against Trump and former officials for years.
- Iranian agent Farhad Shakeri was accused of plotting to kill Trump before the 2024 election.
- Shakeri allegedly worked with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard to surveil and target Trump.
- Trump’s 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani remains a key source of Iranian hostility.
- Iran denied involvement, calling U.S. allegations a fabricated plot.
- Trump recently revoked security protection for former officials Pompeo, Bolton, and Hook, despite past Iranian threats against them.
- U.S. intelligence remains vigilant over Tehran’s potential retaliation.
Deep Look
Trump Issues Ultimatum to Iran
President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran, stating that if Tehran assassinates him, his administration has left orders to “obliterate” the country.
“If they did that, they would be obliterated,” Trump told reporters while signing an executive order increasing pressure on Tehran. “I’ve left instructions—if they do it, they get obliterated, there won’t be anything left.”
This strongly worded threat comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran, with federal authorities tracking ongoing Iranian threats against Trump and several former officials.
The 2020 Soleimani Strike and Iranian Retaliation
Trump’s assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in January 2020 remains one of the key flashpoints in U.S.-Iran relations. Soleimani, who led the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad.
Iran vowed revenge for the killing, launching missile strikes on U.S. military bases in Iraq days later. However, intelligence agencies have warned that Iran’s retaliation efforts have continued in secret, including plans to target Trump and other high-ranking officials.
Iranian Assassination Plot Against Trump Uncovered
The Justice Department announced in November 2023 that it had thwarted an Iranian plot to assassinate Trump before the 2024 election.
According to federal investigators, Iranian officials instructed Farhad Shakeri, a 51-year-old Iranian government asset, to surveil and ultimately kill Trump. Shakeri, who remains at large in Iran, was accused of maintaining a network of criminal operatives to carry out Tehran-backed surveillance and murder-for-hire plots.
How Iran’s Assassination Plan Was Discovered
The FBI learned of Iran’s plot against Trump through a confidential informant within Shakeri’s network. According to a criminal complaint unsealed in federal court in Manhattan, Shakeri was allegedly:
- Given direct orders from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in September 2023 to focus exclusively on assassinating Trump.
- Told to abandon all other criminal activities and develop a detailed surveillance and attack plan within seven days.
- Instructed to work with Iranian intelligence contacts and criminal associates in the U.S. to carry out the mission.
Despite these findings, Iran dismissed the allegations, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei calling the report a fabricated “Israeli-linked” plot aimed at worsening U.S.-Iran relations.
Iran and the Pennsylvania Rally Shooting
In July 2024, Trump was shot in the ear during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. U.S. intelligence had heightened security due to credible Iranian threats leading up to the event. However, officials at the time stated they did not believe Iran was involved in that specific attack.
The shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was identified as a lone gunman, but the timing of Iranian threats in the days before the rally raised further concerns about Tehran’s potential involvement in future attacks.
Trump’s Security Concerns and Revoked Protections for Former Officials
Despite the clear security risks, Trump has revoked U.S. government security protections for several former administration officials who were also targets of Iranian threats. Those affected include:
- Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
- Former National Security Adviser John Bolton
- Former Iran Envoy Brian Hook
All three played key roles in Trump’s maximum pressure campaign against Iran, which included sanctions, military strikes, and Soleimani’s assassination. Iranian officials have previously called for retribution against them, prompting the U.S. to provide federal protection.
However, Trump’s decision to cut off security support has raised concerns about whether these officials remain vulnerable to Iranian attacks.
What’s Next? Rising U.S.-Iran Tensions
Trump’s threat to “obliterate” Iran if he is assassinated marks a significant escalation in rhetoric between the two nations. Although the U.S. has thwarted past Iranian plots, intelligence officials warn that Tehran may continue its covert operations to retaliate against U.S. actions.
Key questions moving forward include:
- Will Iran continue to plot attacks on Trump and former officials?
- How will Iran respond to Trump’s latest threats of military retaliation?
- Could the U.S. preemptively strike Iran if intelligence suggests an imminent attack?
- Will Trump reinstate security protections for former officials facing Iranian threats?
As U.S.-Iran tensions remain high, Trump’s direct warning of total destruction signals that any attempt on his life could trigger a massive conflict. With Iran’s Revolutionary Guard still active in planning covert operations, the potential for further escalation remains a major global concern.
Trump Vows to Obliterate Trump Vows to Obliterate
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