"Biden should have said that but he never did, I don’t know why. Lack of intelligence perhaps but he never said it. If that happens to a leader or close to a leader— frankly, if you had other people involved also—you would call for total obliteration of a state that did it. That would include Iran," Trump said.
Back in September of last year, Trump said at an event in North Carolina: "As you know, there have been two assassination attempts on my life that we know of, and they may or may not involve – but possibly do – Iran."
He also wrote on X at the time, "Big threats on my life by Iran. The entire US Military is watching and waiting. Moves were already made by Iran that didn’t work out, but they will try again. Not a good situation for anyone. I am surrounded by more men, guns, and weapons than I have ever seen before."
????BREAKING: Trump says he has left instructions to OBLITERATE Iran if they assassinate him:
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) February 4, 2025
“That would be a terrible thing for them to do. If they did that, they would be obliterated. I've left instructions.”
“There would be nothing left.” pic.twitter.com/hFC5Cglnbc
Trump’s campaign at the time said they were briefed on the alleged Iranian threat by officials from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence under Biden, which was led at the time by Avril Haines.
The president was also asked Tuesday to assess how close he thinks Iran is to developing a nuclear weapon, to which he responded, "too close" - and added, "They’re pretty close." But the CIA recently assessed it doesn't think Tehran is pursuing a bomb at this point.