Former President Donald Trump has accused Iran of plotting to assassinate him, adding his name to a list of potential targets that includes President Biden and Nikki Haley, according to FBI documents released earlier this month. Trump made the allegations during a campaign event in North Carolina on Wednesday, drawing attention to the Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to the United Nations this week and the security detail accompanying him.
Trump pointed out the “strange” circumstances of a country threatening a former president while simultaneously receiving extensive security measures for their own leader during a UN visit. He emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating that if he were president, he would retaliate against any country that threatened a former president by “blowing your largest cities and the country itself to smithereens.”
Trump’s remarks follow a press release from his campaign on Tuesday, which confirmed the former president was briefed on “real and specific threats” from Iran aimed at his assassination. The campaign’s communications director, Steven Cheung, described Iran’s actions as part of a larger effort to “destabilize and sow chaos in the United States.”
Beyond the assassination plot, the FBI also confirmed last week that Iranian hackers attempted to provide the Democratic presidential campaign with stolen communication files from Trump’s campaign.
These accusations come as the US continues to navigate complex relations with Iran, marked by tensions and ongoing disagreements. The Trump administration imposed severe sanctions on Iran, while the current administration has sought to re-engage in diplomacy, although the relationship remains strained. This latest development adds another layer of complexity to the already fraught political landscape.
