It’s been a longtime conservative media and Republican talking point that Tehran is looking for ways to take President Donald Trump out in retaliation for ordering the drone killing of IRGC Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani on January 3, 2020, near Baghdad’s International Airport during his first administration.
President Trump has warned this week that he has left instructions to destroy the Islamic Republic in case he is murdered by Iranian agents.
An unexpected and somewhat unprecedented state of emergency, which one would expect to require at least congressional approval, was issued Tuesday when Trump signed an executive order in the Oval Office restoring “maximum pressure” on Iran. Trump hailed the action as “very tough on Iran.”
Then journalists questioned him about Iran and its henchmen, who threatened to murder him, to which the commander-in-chief replied:
“They haven’t, and that would be a terrible thing for them. Not because of me, but if they did, they would be destroyed. That would be the end. I’ve left instructions, if they do, they’ll be deleted, nothing left. And they shouldn’t be able to do that.”
He partly accused Biden’s previous administration of being weak on Iran and allowing the alleged plans to rattle without taking firm steps. Soon after, he welcomed Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House.
He also wrote to X at the time: “Iran is a great threat to my life. The entire U.S. military is watching and waiting. Iran already made moves that did not work out, but they will try again. Not a good situation for anyone. I’m surrounded by more men, guns and guns than I’ve ever seen before.”
Trump’s campaign at the time said they were informed of the alleged Iranian threat by officials from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence under Biden, then headed by Avril Haines.
The president was also asked on Tuesday to assess how close he thinks Iran is to developing a nuclear weapon, to which he replied “too close” – and added: “They’re pretty close.” But the CIA recently estimated that it does not believe Tehran is currently chasing a bomb.
