Trump Claims 'Instructions' for Unprecedented Strikes on Iran if Assassinated Amid Escalating Threats and Israeli Intel

President Donald Trump told the New York Post on July 10, 2026, that he has 'left instructions' for a massive bombing campaign against Iran 'at levels that they've never seen before' should Tehran succeed in assassinating him, citing long-standing threats that place him at the top of Iran's 'kill list.' The remarks come amid heightened U.S.-Iran tensions, including reports that Israel recently shared intelligence with the U.S. about a fresh Iranian plot targeting Trump, as detailed by the Wall Street Journal. Trump downplayed the immediacy of any new plot, stating 'Israel came up with nothing' and emphasizing persistent rather than imminent dangers. Related coverage in The Hill and USA Today highlights Trump's comments at a NATO summit in Turkey, where he warned of potential assassination risks tied to faltering negotiations and Iranian actions in the Strait of Hormuz. These statements coincide with U.S. demands for Iran to affirm openness of the Strait, raising concerns over energy market disruptions given the waterway's role in global oil transit. Multiple outlets, including Washington Examiner and international reports from Iran International, frame the comments against a backdrop of direct military exchanges and threats of broader escalation that could rapidly affect global stability and energy prices.