Donald Trump says he has ordered massive U.S. strikes on Iran if an alleged Iranian assassination plot against him ever succeeds, raising new questions about how far unelected security officials and foreign intelligence can pull America toward war.

Story Snapshot

• Israeli intelligence reportedly warned Washington that Iran is working on a fresh plan to assassinate President Trump.
• The United States Secret Service and other agencies have tightened Trump’s security as threats from Iran and past plots stack up.
• Trump now says he has “left instructions” for the U.S. military to hit Iran hard if he is killed in an attack linked to Tehran.
• The episode fuels long‑running fears on left and right that foreign intel and the “deep state” can drag America into another major war.

Fresh Israeli Warning of an Iranian Plot Against Trump

Israeli intelligence services recently shared new information with the United States that they say points to a fresh Iranian plan to assassinate President Donald Trump. Reports describe the intelligence as showing Iran was considering a new scheme, not yet carried out, that specifically targeted Trump amid already high tensions between Washington and Tehran. The Wall Street Journal and other outlets say Israeli officials passed the warning to U.S. counterparts in early July as a fragile ceasefire with Iran was starting to fray. The shared material has not been fully detailed in public, but Israeli sources claim it reflects a long‑stated pledge by Iranian leaders to avenge Trump’s 2020 order to kill top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani.

U.S. news broadcasts covering the alleged plot describe Israeli officials “tipping off” the Trump administration and emphasize that the warning came without clear information on who, where, or when an attack might happen. Correspondents note that the reported intelligence sounded more like high‑level talk and intent inside Iran’s leadership than a fully planned operation ready to launch. Some American officials quoted in foreign coverage say the Israeli brief did not outline an operational plan, but instead described discussions among hard‑line Iranian figures about striking Trump at some point. That gap between serious intent and specific action is part of why the threat is treated as real but still hard to verify, especially in a climate where foreign governments may use intelligence leaks to pressure U.S. policy.

Documented Iranian Plots and U.S. Security Response

The latest warning lands on top of earlier, documented Iranian plots that make this threat harder to dismiss as simple political noise. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice charged Farhad Shakeri, described as an asset of the Iranian regime, with murder‑for‑hire and material support to a foreign terrorist group after he told investigators he was tasked by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to plan the assassination of “President‑elect Donald J. Trump.” In that federal complaint, Shakeri said Iranian officials pushed him in October 2024 to deliver a specific plan to kill Trump and offered large sums of money for other killings on U.S. soil. He claimed he stalled and did not intend to carry out the attack, but prosecutors treated the assignment itself as evidence that Iranian security services were actively targeting American leaders, including Trump.

As intelligence on these threats built up, U.S. protection agencies moved to reinforce their shield around Trump. A congressional document on Secret Service operations describes how agents surged resources and assets after receiving intelligence about an Iranian plan to assassinate the former president. That report links the security boost directly to information from a human source about Iranian efforts to organize a strike, on top of broader warnings shared by Israel. This stepped‑up security comes after Trump already survived multiple assassination attempts in recent years, part of a wider spike in political violence against U.S. leaders that historians say fits a “long, dark history” of attacks on presidents and candidates. The pattern is clear: while successful assassinations of U.S. presidents are rare, credible plots and attempts, especially in polarized eras, are not.

Trump’s Retaliation Instructions and Fears of Being Dragged Into War

Against this backdrop, Trump has now moved beyond warning Iran and says he has personally set out what should happen if he is killed by an Iranian plot. In interviews with friendly media and in comments reported by national outlets, he claims he has “left instructions” for U.S. forces to bomb Iran in the event he is assassinated in an attack traced back to Tehran. One account in The Hill states clearly that Trump believes such retaliation is warranted and that he has communicated those directions in advance, tying them directly to Israeli intelligence on new assassination plans. Supporters say this stance is meant to deter Iran by making clear that killing a president would trigger overwhelming U.S. military action, not just sanctions or legal charges.

Critics and nervous observers, however, see a deeper problem that speaks to the frustrations many Americans share. They worry that foreign intelligence services and unelected national security officials now hold enormous power to decide when a “red line” has been crossed, especially in murky cases like assassination plots. If Trump is ever attacked and a foreign ally or agency points the finger at Iran, his pre‑written orders could push the United States into major war before voters or Congress have any real say. That fear connects to long‑standing concerns on both the left and right that the so‑called “deep state” and foreign partners sometimes use classified reports and leaks to steer U.S. policy toward regime change or conflict that ordinary Americans never asked for.

Political Violence, Polarization, and a Strain on U.S. Democracy

Experts on political violence say these events are unfolding in a moment when American democracy is already under heavy strain. Research on assassinations finds they are more likely in countries facing intense polarization, shaky elections, and shrinking trust in government. U.S. history shows 15 direct assaults against presidents or presidents‑elect, with five leading to death, and modern data confirm that threats and attempts have risen in recent years. Studies from groups like the Bridging Divides Initiative count hundreds of incidents involving threats or attacks on political figures, including multiple attempts on Trump himself. Analysts warn that each new plot, even if foiled, deepens fear, hardens attitudes, and makes it easier for leaders to justify extreme security and foreign policy moves.

The Israeli/US intelligence cooperation shared the most recent reported Iranian plot to assassinate President Donald Trump comes from intelligence shared by Israel with the U.S. in the past week (around July 9, 2026).

According to reports from The Wall Street Journal and CNN… pic.twitter.com/sJteNFyAJb

— RealPastorMark (@mark_pasto64312) July 10, 2026

For many Americans, this latest story hits a nerve that goes beyond Trump or Iran. Conservatives who already feel past “globalist” wars drained U.S. blood and treasure without fixing core problems at home see another case where foreign elites and faceless agencies may be setting the stage for conflict. Liberals who worry about unchecked presidential power and discrimination in national security decisions see a president claiming the right to order massive retaliation for his own death, potentially without public debate. Both sides share a sense that Washington’s priorities are warped, focused more on secret plans and distant battles than on the everyday economic and social pressures that keep millions from reaching the American Dream.

Sources:

cnn.com, timesofisrael.com, wsj.com, youtube.com, congress.gov, thehill.com, fox32chicago.com, common.usembassy.gov, pbs.org, ctc.westpoint.edu, brookings.edu, ebsco.com