President Donald Trump warned Iran that any successful assassination plot against him would trigger a massive U.S. military response.
Trump told the New York Post on Friday that he had left instructions for what should happen if Tehran’s long-running threats ever become an actual attack.
“I’ve been on their list for a long time. That’s what we’re dealing with,” Trump told the New York Post.
“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 warning came after days of state-backed funeral ceremonies for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei featured open calls for Trump’s death.
Trump had already addressed the threats Wednesday, casting himself as the main target of Iranian leaders.
“They want to take out the U.S. leader — me. I’m on whatever list. I saw this morning I’m on every single one of their lists,” he said.
“And, so far, I guess I’ve been a bit lucky, but maybe that doesn’t last very long. These are evil, sick people. And we have to root out that cancer. That cancer. You know what you do? You’ve got to cut out cancer early.”
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During Thursday’s procession to the Shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, mourners were seen carrying a prominent banner that declared, “Hey Trump We will kill You.”
Other threats surfaced during the multi-day ceremonies across Iran and Iraq, including viral images of posters showing Trump with crosshairs over his face and the warning, “There Will Be Blood.”
Some banners promised rewards of up to $120 million for his assassination and the rhetoric extended to speakers addressing the crowds during the ceremonies.
During the July 5 ceremony, Iranian poet Mohammad Rasouli addressed attendees in his role overseeing the program ahead of the prayers and said, “Why should we not kill the man who killed our imam? It would be a disgrace if we did not.”
Rasouli then led attendees in the chant, “Trump’s murder is our responsibility.”
Iran’s threats against Trump stretch back to the January 2020 U.S. strike that killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Qasem Soleimani.
Regime supporters have repeatedly vowed revenge, and federal prosecutors have accused Iran-linked figures of trying to turn those threats into assassination plots.
Federal authorities revealed another alleged Iranian-linked plot in November 2024 when prosecutors announced charges against Farhad Shakeri, who they described as an operative connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Officials said the case involved efforts to arrange an assassination attempt targeting Trump during the campaign.
According to the Justice Department, Shakeri was instructed by contacts in Iran to put together a plan for the attack, with financial concerns allegedly dismissed as irrelevant to carrying it out.
Rahman Mokadam, identified as the IRGC Special Operations Division leader and accused of overseeing the effort, was later reported killed during Operation Epic Fury in March.
The assassination rhetoric grew as Washington and Tehran were already trading attacks.
The latest escalation included a wave of American strikes on Iranian-linked assets, followed by retaliatory moves from Tehran targeting U.S. positions and maritime traffic.
Trump said Wednesday that any progress toward an agreement with Iran had collapsed, pointing to attacks on ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz.
“They’re scum. They’re sick people,” Trump said when asked whether the agreement could be salvaged. “These people, they lie, and they cheat.”
By Friday, Trump said Iran had asked to keep negotiating, but he framed the ceasefire as finished.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has asked us to continue ‘talks.’ We have agreed to do so, but the United States has stated to them, in no uncertain terms, that the Cease Fire is OVER!” Trump posted on social media.
U.S. forces launched back-to-back operations against Iranian targets this week, striking about 80 sites on Tuesday and approximately 90 more on Wednesday. The second wave followed Tehran’s attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, which Washington said breached the ceasefire agreement.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday as he traveled back from the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, Trump said Iranian officials reached out following the latest U.S. strikes.
“They called a little while ago. They want to make a deal so badly,” Trump stated. “I just don’t know if they’re worthy of making a deal. I don’t know if they’re going to honor the deal. That’s the problem.”
President Trump says Iran "called a little while ago."
"They want to make a deal so badly. I just don't know if they're worthy of making a deal. I don't know that they're going to honor the deal. That's the problem."pic.twitter.com/BIZQvc6WTk
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) July 9, 2026
When pressed on why Tehran would target vessels in the Strait while still seeking talks with Washington, Trump said the regime’s actions showed it was “sort of crazy” and “a little bit out of control.”
“We just hit them very hard,” Trump also noted. “We hit them 20 to 1. Every time they hit us, we’re going to hit them twenty[-fold].”
The collapse of the ceasefire followed earlier diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran, including a memorandum of understanding that had been viewed as a potential step toward easing tensions.
During the flight back, Trump also discussed the ongoing threats against him, telling reporters that he believed he remained the primary focus of Iranian retaliation and suggesting those around him could also face danger.
“I have a threat all the time. I’m number one on their list, before you, but if I go, you go, right?” he told reporters. “So perhaps someday you want to change professions.”
