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President Donald Trump warned late Friday that the United States would respond with overwhelming military force if Iran carried out an assassination attempt against him.
In a post on Truth Social, the president said he had already directed the U.S. military to be prepared to retaliate if such an attack occurred.
“1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands of more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat, pronounced in many corners of the Globe, to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate, the sitting President of the United States of America, in this case, ME!” he wrote.
The president added that military orders were already in place.
“Orders have already been given, and the U.S. Military is ready, willing, and able, for a one year period of time, subject to extension, to completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran – PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!” President Trump said.
The president’s comments came one day after The Wall Street Journal reported that Israeli intelligence had shared information with U.S. officials alleging Iran was considering a new plot to assassinate the president.
Earlier this week, President Trump told reporters at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, that he believes he remains Iran’s primary target.
“I’m No. 1 on the kill list for Iran,” the president said.
In an interview published Friday by the New York Post, the president said he had also left standing instructions for the United States to launch a major military response if he were successfully assassinated.
“I’ve been on their list for a long time. That’s what we’re dealing with,” President Trump said. “… The only thing is, I’ve left instructions, if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before.”
The president also downplayed reports that Israeli intelligence had uncovered a new assassination plot.
“No, no, Israel came up with nothing,” he told the newspaper. “I’ve been No. 1 [on Iran’s kill list] for a long time, and it’s the way life is, you know.”