WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said he has issued standing military orders directing a massive U.S. response if Iran carries out what he described as longstanding threats to assassinate him, escalating rhetoric as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high amid renewed fighting.
In a post on his Truth Social platform and subsequent public remarks, Trump said the U.S. military had been instructed to be prepared to strike Iran "at levels they've never seen before" should the Iranian government assassinate or attempt to assassinate the sitting U.S. president. He said the orders would remain in effect for one year and could be extended.
Constitutional experts and former U.S. national security officials said, however, that no automatic military retaliation could legally occur upon the death of a president. Under the U.S. Constitution, presidential authority would immediately transfer to Vice President JD Vance, who would become commander in chief and decide whether to authorize any military response.
The White House did not immediately provide additional details on how Trump's stated orders would operate under existing military command procedures or whether formal directives had been issued through the Pentagon.
Trump's comments followed renewed public threats from Iranian officials and supporters after the death of Iran's former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran. Iran's current Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said his country remained committed to avenging his father's death, according to remarks broadcast by Iranian state television.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Israeli officials had recently alerted U.S. authorities to what they described as fresh Iranian plots targeting Trump. The White House has declined to comment publicly on those reports, while U.S. officials have previously said threats against current and former American officials linked to the 2020 killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani have been treated as credible and subject to ongoing security monitoring.
Trump has repeatedly said he believes he remains a primary target for Iran. Speaking during the NATO summit earlier this week, he told reporters that Iranian leaders wanted "to take out the U.S. leader — me," according to media reports.
The exchange of threats comes as the United States and Iran continue military operations after an earlier ceasefire collapsed, with no new diplomatic breakthrough officially announced by either government.
