Donald Trump has explained what would happen if Iran were to assassinate him as tensions grow across the world.
As Israel targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities and Iran retaliated with rocket attacks, many fear that World War III could be around the corner.
According to a CBS report, Trump is considering a strike on Fordo, Iran’s underground uranium enrichment site – but is holding fire if Tehran agrees to give up its nuclear ambitions.
A senior intelligence official told CBS that the president “held off from initiating strikes in case Iran agreed to abandon its nuclear programme.”
On Wednesday Trump met the media, making it clear he’s keeping everyone guessing: “I may do it, I may not do it.”
When pressed about Iran’s expected refusal of unconditional demands, Trump responded with a nonchalant: “Good luck.”
And then: “I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do.”
He added: “Unconditional surrender – that means I’ve had it.”
Just hours earlier, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded to Trump’s demands.
He warned “any US military intervention” would be costly and declared: “The Iranian nation will not surrender.”
Tehran’s UN delegation also took to X to mock Trump: “Iran does NOT negotiate under duress… No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House. The only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to ‘take out’ Iran’s supreme leader.”
Given that there has been an exchange of threats, what would happen if Iran decided to assassinate Trump?
Well, the man himself opened up about this possibility earlier in the year.
On February 4, Trump announced an aggressive national security directive: if Iran ever carries out an assassination plot against him, “they would be obliterated.”
According to the Associated Press, a U.S. national security plan is already in place to rigorously retaliate should Tehran attempt such a move.
This comes in light of a murder-for-hire plot uncovered by the Justice Department in November 2024.
At the center was 51-year-old Farhad Shakeri – an Afghan-born U.S. immigrant and former convict – allegedly working under orders from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard to eliminate Trump “within seven days.”
The plot reportedly fizzled after he admitted he couldn’t pull it off that fast, even delaying until after the election.
Iranian officials, however, swiftly denied any involvement.
Given that Trump has made it clear what would happen if Iran killed him, he seems confident enough to dish out threats to their leaders.
“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Pentagon boss Pete Hegseth told senators the military is ready to act if Trump orders it.