The Lead
President Donald Trump has reportedly issued a specific directive to the United States military, instructing that if he is assassinated, the U.S. should "wipe out Iran." Speaking to the New York Post on Friday, Trump confirmed he has left standing instructions for a retaliatory strike at a level "they have never seen," while simultaneously downplaying reports of a specific new Iranian plot against him.
President Donald Trump has escalated his rhetoric against Tehran, revealing the existence of a "will" or standing order for the United States military to respond with overwhelming force should he be killed by Iranian agents. "I've left instructions that if anything happens, you just have to bomb them at a level they've never seen," Trump told the New York Post. The President framed the directive as a necessary deterrent, noting that he has been at the top of Iran's "hit list" for a long time. While the authenticity of the specific phrasing "wipe out" has circulated in reports reviewed by The Zioneer Intelligence Desk, Trump’s own words confirm a policy of massive retaliation.### Contradicting Intelligence ReportsDespite the severity of his warning, Trump used the interview to explicitly deny reports of a fresh or imminent assassination conspiracy. His comments directly contradict recent reporting by the Wall Street Journal, which suggested that U.S. intelligence had identified a specific new Iranian effort to target him. Trump maintained that while he remains a primary target, there is no evidence of a change in the current threat level. He further noted that Israel was not involved in any such recent discovery, adding, "that's just life."### Strategic Context and DeterrenceThe President's remarks come during a period of intense friction between Washington and Tehran. As documented in prior The Zioneer coverage, the U.S. has transitioned toward large-scale retaliatory strikes against Iranian infrastructure following the collapse of previous diplomatic efforts. By publicizing these instructions, Trump appears to be signaling that the personal safety of U.S. leadership is now directly linked to the survival of the Iranian regime's strategic assets. The situation remains developing as officials monitor Tehran's response to this public disclosure of U.S. contingency planning.
6 developments
- The Zioneer Intelligence Desk
- Shin Bet confirms Iran operation leak probe, says Zini ordered investigation before Bardugo meeting
- Russia reportedly returning engineers to Bushehr nuclear plant
- ynet reports fire at Iran's Pol-e Dokhtar refinery, confirming earlier reports
- IDF says it killed two Hamas commanders in separate northern Gaza strikes this week
