US President Trump says he left orders to bomb Iran at ‘Levels never seen before’ if assassinated

Trump told the New York Post he's left standing orders for the U.S. to strike Iran "at levels they've never seen before" should an assassination attempt against him ever succeed. The remark comes amid a rapidly worsening standoff, with both countries having traded military strikes just this week after Iran targeted commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has revealed he's already prepared for the worst case scenario if Iran ever manages to assassinate him, he said the response will be nothing short of devastating.

The comment lands right as the fragile ceasefire between Washington and Tehran shows real signs of falling apart.

A Grim Contingency, Spelled Out In Plain Terms

Speaking to the media on Friday, Trump said, and he's not taking any chances. US President Donald Trump said that left instructions to hit back with a force Iran has "never seen before" if anything happens to him.

Also Read: Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei laid to rest months after US-Israeli strikes killed him

When reporters pushed him on whether there was a fresh threat behind the comment pointing to recent intelligence chatter about a possible new plot Trump waved it off. Nothing new, he said. Iran's wanted him gone for a long time regardless.

Where This Animosity Comes From

None of this is coming out of nowhere. Iran's grudge against Trump goes back to 2020, when he ordered the strike that took out the country's top military commander, Qassem Soleimani. That decision has haunted US-Iran relations ever since, and it resurfaced loudly during the recent funeral processions for Iran's late Supreme Leader, where mourners openly called for Trump's death and waved signs naming him directly. It's also not the first time Trump's life has actually been in danger — he was grazed by a bullet during a 2024 rally in Pennsylvania, an episode that clearly still shapes how seriously he takes threats like this one.

The Ceasefire Is Barely Holding

Trump's comments haven't come in a vacuum — they've landed right as the ceasefire between the two countries is falling apart. What had been a fragile truce, formalized last month, cracked this week after Iran struck commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump responded by declaring the ceasefire "over" and greenlighting two straight nights of American strikes on Iranian targets. Iran didn't sit still either, hitting back at US military sites in Kuwait and Bahrain.

Both Sides Say They're Still Willing To Talk

Despite the exchange of fire, neither side seems ready to slam the door on diplomacy entirely. Trump said on social media that Iran had asked to keep negotiating and that the US had agreed — even while insisting the ceasefire itself is dead and warning of a tougher response to any further provocation. Behind the scenes, Qatar and Pakistan are reportedly working to get both countries back to the table.

Also Read: Donald Trump breaks silence on Giorgia Meloni Feud, says ‘I Like Her’ Despite Rift

Iran, for its part, isn't backing down either. Its lead negotiator said this week that Tehran remains deeply skeptical of Washington's intentions and is ready to defend itself if attacked again. Iranian officials have also taken their grievances to the UN, calling the latest US strikes a violation of international law.

A Fragile, Uncertain Road Ahead

With shipping through the Strait of Hormuz still running far below normal and fresh sanctions piling up on individuals tied to Iran's leadership, there's no clear sign either side is backing off completely. For now, strikes and diplomacy appear to be running on separate tracks at the same time — a pattern that could hold, or could unravel fast, depending on what happens next.