Ex-President Trump’s Latest Remarks Recall Controversial 2019 Threats Toward Iran
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump made a highly controversial statement on July 25, suggesting that if he were assassinated, the United States should take drastic action against Iran. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote, “If they do ‘assassinate President Trump,’ which is always a possibility, I hope that America obliterates Iran, wipes it off the face of the Earth. If that does not happen, American Leaders will be considered ‘gutless’ cowards!”
The post was accompanied by a brief video showing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussing alleged Iranian plots against Trump during a speech to the US Congress on July 24. This remark comes in the context of heightened security measures for Trump, following reports of an Iranian plot to target him. The US Secret Service reportedly received intelligence about the plot from a human source, prompting an increase in protection for the former president.
This statement evokes memories of Trump’s tenure as president when he made similar inflammatory comments regarding Iran. In 2019, Trump threatened to “obliterate” Iran if it carried out any attacks on American targets. His administration’s strained relationship with Iran culminated in the 2020 killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, an action ordered by Trump. Since then, tensions between the two nations have remained high, with Iran seeking revenge for Soleimani’s death.
While the reports about an Iranian plot are not linked to a recent campaign shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump was injured and a rally attendee was killed, the connection to previous tensions with Tehran has intensified concerns. Trump’s recent rhetoric has also drawn comparisons to his 2017 threats against North Korea, where he warned of “fire and fury like the world has never seen” before eventually establishing a controversial rapport with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
