00:18A stark warning, an extraordinary claim, and another dramatic escalation in the war of
00:26words between Washington and Tehran.
00:31U.S. President Donald Trump says he has left instructions for a massive military response
00:38if he is assassinated amid continuing tensions with Iran.
00:43President Donald Trump says he has instructed the U.S. military to carry out an overwhelming
00:49response against Iran if he is assassinated.
00:53In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that American forces were prepared to launch a massive
01:00retaliatory strike if the Iranian government were to carry out or support an attack against him.
01:07Trump wrote that military assets were already locked and loaded, and said orders had been
01:13issued for what he described as an unprecedented response should such a scenario occur.
01:20The remarks come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran following months of military
01:26confrontations and repeated allegations involving threats against senior American officials.
01:33Speaking separately to the New York Post, Trump said he had left instructions calling for overwhelming
01:39military retaliation if any assassination attempt against him were successful.
01:47Trump also rejected a Wall Street Journal report that Israel had provided intelligence about an alleged
01:54Iranian assassination plot targeting him.
01:57Speaking to reporters, the President said Israel came up with nothing, adding that he believes he has been a target
02:04of Iran for a long time.
02:06The latest comments follow funeral ceremonies for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, where anti-American slogans were heard,
02:17and some participants displayed threatening banners directed at U.S. and Israeli leaders.
02:23U.S. officials have consistently condemned threats against American public officials, and said they take such rhetoric seriously.
02:30At the same time, constitutional experts have questioned the legal effect of Trump's comments.
02:37Legal scholars note that under the U.S. Constitution, command authority transfers immediately to the next commander-in-chief if
02:45a president dies, meaning no president can exercise military authority after leaving office or after death.
02:53The White House has not announced any change to official U.S. military posture following Trump's remarks.
03:01Meanwhile, diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran are continuing despite repeated military and political tensions.
03:10Analysts say the exchange highlights the deep mistrust that continues to define U.S.-Iran relations, even as diplomatic channels remain
03:19open.
03:20Supporters argue Trump's comments are intended as deterrence.
03:25Critics warn that increasingly confrontational rhetoric from both sides risks making diplomacy more difficult at a sensitive moment.
03:34For now, the latest statements have added another layer of tension to an already volatile relationship.
03:41Whether the rhetoric remains political or develops into another diplomatic crisis will depend on events in the days ahead.
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