Former President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he has instructed the U.S. military to prepare for a massive retaliatory strike against Iran, including "1,000 missiles" that are "locked and loaded," should the Iranian government attempt to assassinate him. He further stated that orders have already been given for the U.S. military to be prepared to "completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran" for a period of one year, subject to extension.
Trump's warning comes after reports from The Wall Street Journal, citing Israeli intelligence, that Iran was considering a new plot to assassinate the former president. However, Trump dismissed these reports in comments to the New York Post, stating, "Israel came up with nothing." He reiterated that he has been on Iran's "kill list for a long time."
Earlier in the week, Trump had also told reporters at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, that he viewed himself as Iran's "No. 1" target. He told the New York Post that he had left standing instructions to "bomb them at levels that they've never seen before" if an assassination attempt against him were to succeed.
The heightened tensions follow a recent unraveling of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire. Iran's attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz prompted renewed U.S. military action, including strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure. Trump has since declared the ceasefire "over" and warned of further action.
Iran has reportedly sought Trump's assassination since his administration ordered the 2020 military strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. During the funeral for Iran's former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died on February 28, 2026, mourners were heard calling for Trump's death.
Amidst these renewed hostilities, The New York Times reported that the U.S. Secret Service recommended Trump travel aboard an older Air Force One model, rather than a newly retrofitted Boeing 747, as a security precaution. A White House spokesperson stated that the new Air Force One is equipped with advanced security features and that "we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats."