The Blubber

President Trump said Tuesday that he has given orders for Iran to be completely destroyed if it ever attempts to assassinate him.

The president made the statement after signing an executive order in the Oval Office aimed at maintaining maximum pressure on Tehran by expanding his authority to take action against the Iranian government. He described the order as a strong measure, adding, “I’m going to sign it, but hopefully we won’t have to use it much.” Trump also expressed hope for negotiating a deal with Iran, saying, “I want to see if we can work something out where everybody can live together.”

When asked about threats from Iran or its proxies regarding his assassination, Trump issued a stark warning.
“If they did that, it would be the end for them,” he said. “Not because of me, but if they did it, they would be obliterated. I’ve left clear instructions—if they do it, they’re gone. There won’t be anything left. They won’t be able to do it.”

In November, the Justice Department revealed an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign. According to an unsealed criminal complaint, 51-year-old Farhad Shakeri, charged with murder-for-hire, told FBI agents that an Iranian official had ordered him to focus on assassinating Trump.

Trump also criticized former President Joe Biden for failing to deliver a similar warning to Iran during his time in office.
“Biden should have said that, but he never did,” Trump said. “I don’t know why—maybe it’s a lack of intelligence. If something like that happened to a leader, or even someone close to a leader, you would have to call for the total obliteration of the state responsible. That would include Iran.”

When asked how close he believes Iran is to developing a nuclear weapon, Trump answered, “Too close.”
“They’re pretty close,” he added.

Later on Tuesday, Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During the Oval Office meeting, he was asked whether he would give Netanyahu permission to strike Iranian nuclear facilities if requested.
“I don’t know if that’s what he’s going to ask for,” Trump responded. “We’ll have a long meeting and discuss a lot of things—not just that, but many things. If the time comes to let you know, I’ll let you know. But right now, that’s not something I can discuss.”