Trump made his warning very clear,
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he has delivered what he described as firm and unmistakable instructions regarding Iran, warning that the regime would face overwhelming consequences if any attempt were made on his life.
Speaking during an interview with NewsNation host Katie Pavlich, Trump addressed long-standing threats attributed to Iranian officials and state-aligned media, calling the rhetoric unacceptable and dangerous.
“They shouldn’t be doing it,” Trump said, referring to repeated threats targeting him. He explained that contingency measures have already been communicated and emphasized that the United States would respond decisively if those threats were ever carried out.
Trump noted that Iran has issued hostile statements against him dating back to 2020, following the U.S. military strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. He argued that such threats required a strong and public response from American leadership.
The president also criticized former President Joe Biden, saying the previous administration failed to adequately confront Iran over the escalating rhetoric.
“We kept asking why nothing was being said,” Trump said. “When threats like that are made, leadership matters. A president has a responsibility to protect Americans and send a clear message that intimidation will not be tolerated.”
Trump stressed that any attempt to harm him would result in consequences that Iran would find devastating, adding that the instructions remain in place.
WATCH:
.@POTUS on threats from Iran: "I've left notification, anything ever happens… the whole country's going to get blown up." pic.twitter.com/oD6WpeWVoY
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 21, 2026
His comments come amid renewed concern after Iranian state television reportedly aired imagery referencing the 2024 Butler, Pennsylvania rally shooting incident involving Trump, accompanied by language widely interpreted as threatening.
The warnings also follow Trump’s repeated statements that the United States would take action against Iran if the regime continues violent crackdowns on anti-government protesters or engages in destabilizing activity abroad.
U.S. officials have previously acknowledged multiple Iranian-linked plots involving Trump. In one case, the Justice Department announced that authorities disrupted an alleged plan connected to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. In another instance, Iranian media circulated a video dramatizing an attack scenario at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago golf property.
Despite the heightened risks, Trump acknowledged the dangers associated with serving as president.
“It’s a very dangerous job,” he said. “When you look at history, the numbers are higher than most people realize.”
Trump noted that more than five percent of U.S. presidents have died while in office, calling the statistic troubling and underscoring the seriousness of the threats faced by American leaders.
As of Tuesday evening, the White House had not released an official statement responding to the interview.
