Donald Trump has revealed that he has left specific instructions for his aides to enact severe military retaliation against Iran in the event of his assassination. Speaking to the New York Post, Trump stated, "I've left instructions… if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they've never seen before."

Trump indicated that the threat from Iran has been ongoing for years, dismissing recent intelligence reports of a newly surfaced plot as inaccurate. He cited the 2020 U.S. strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani as a trigger for Tehran's public pursuit of his assassination.

The threat environment around Trump has reportedly intensified, with several assassination plots disrupted following a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024, where he was grazed by a sniper's bullet, and more recently at the White House Correspondents Dinner.

Due to heightened security concerns amid tensions with Iran, Trump temporarily utilized an older Boeing 747-200 Air Force One for part of his return journey from the NATO summit in Turkey.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has intensified its military operations against Iran in response to recent attacks on commercial shipping vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Administration officials have indicated that the duration and intensity of this renewed bombing campaign are dependent on Tehran's actions in the coming days, with the U.S. prepared to sustain retaliatory strikes for weeks if Iran does not de-escalate.

Sources close to the White House stated that the President wants the situation resolved but will not refrain from action if Iran continues to target ships. While some advisers have informally referred to the military offensive as 'Operation B**** Slap' in internal communications, administration officials and representatives from the White House and Pentagon have emphasized that this is not the official name of any U.S. military operation.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said the US had responded "20-1" to Iran's attacks.

A former White House official noted that as tensions between the two nations escalate, Trump's decision-making regarding the conflict has become increasingly personal.

The threat environment surrounding Trump has intensified recently, marked by several disrupted assassination plots following the July 13, 2024, campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvani a, where a sniper's bullet grazed his ear.

Trump is assisted by the Secret Service after gunfire rang out during a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024.