Trump says he left orders to 'bomb Iran at levels they've never seen before' if Tehran kills him: Report

US President Donald Trump has said he has "left instructions" for a massive military response against Iran if Tehran succeeds in assassinating him, reiterating that he has remained at the top of Iran's alleged target list for years, according to a report by the New York Post.

Speaking to the Post on Friday, Trump said Iran had long sought to kill him and warned of unprecedented retaliation if such a plot were ever carried out.

Also read: US issues fresh Iran-related sanctions as conflict flares


“I’ve been on their list for a long time. That’s what we’re dealing with,” he said. “… The only thing is, I’ve left instructions — if anything happens, to just literally bomb them at levels that they’ve never seen before.”

Trump also dismissed suggestions that Israel had recently uncovered a fresh Iranian assassination plot targeting him, while maintaining that Tehran's intent had remained unchanged over the years.

“No, no. Israel came up with nothing. No, no,” he said. “I’ve been No. 1 [on Iran’s kill list] for a long time, and it’s the way life is, you know.”

He added:“I hope you’ll miss me.”

CNN later reported that Israeli intelligence shared with the United States did not point to a formal assassination plot but included unspecified information suggesting that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Ahmad Vahidi wanted Trump dead, the New York Post reported.

Iran tensions intensify after Strait of Hormuz attacks

According to the report, Trump's remarks come amid rapidly escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran. The US president recently abandoned a US-Iran ceasefire and a fledgling memorandum of understanding after Iran allegedly attacked three ships in the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week.

The report said the US subsequently revoked a sanctions waiver related to Iranian oil and carried out nearly 200 strikes across Iran over two days.

Iran has publicly sought retaliation against Trump since 2020, when he ordered the US strike that killed senior Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani. The New York Post also noted that multiple assassination attempts against Trump have been thwarted since he survived an attack at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024.

Also read: US insists Iran commit to stopping attacks in Hormuz strait, say US officials

Trump repeats claim he is Iran's 'No. 1 target'

The New York Post said anti-Trump rhetoric has intensified in Iran in recent days, with demonstrators at memorial events displaying banners calling for his assassination.

According to Iranian media cited by the newspaper, a eulogist at one such gathering declared:

“Why shouldn’t we kill the one who killed my imam and my leader? Trump’s killing is our duty. … Why is the most despicable man in the world still alive?”

Trump had earlier indicated in 2025 that he had given instructions to "obliterate" Iran if he were assassinated, but the newspaper said his latest comments appeared more forceful amid renewed threats.

Speaking at the NATO summit in Ankara earlier this week, Trump again claimed he remained Iran's principal target while criticising the country's leadership.

“They had leaders, they’re gone. Then they had another set of leaders, they’re gone. Now they have another set of leaders — they may be gone, who knows?” Trump said. “And you know what? I may be gone too. Because I’m their No. 1 target — it’s out all over the place. Because they’re scum.”

He added, “That’s the way they act and that’s the way they’ve done it for 47 years.”

Trump also switched aircraft while returning from Ankara this week, with the White House later describing the move as a security precaution after the president publicly stated that Iran continued to seek his assassination.