Donald Trump warned that Iran would be “obliterated” if it orchestrated his assassination, stating he left orders for immediate retaliation. However, if such an attack occurred, Vice President JD Vance, as his successor, would not be bound by Trump’s directive.
U.S. authorities have tracked Iranian threats against Trump for years, stemming from his 2020 order to kill Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani. In November, the Justice Department revealed an Iranian plot to assassinate Trump before the 2024 election, allegedly led by operative Farhad Shakeri, who remains at large. Iran denied the claims.
Amid ongoing threats, Trump recently revoked security protections for former officials Mike Pompeo, Brian Hook, and John Bolton, all of whom had taken hardline stances against Iran.
