WASHINGTON, JUL 12 (AGENCIES): US President Donald Trump escalated tensions with Iran on Saturday, claiming he has already given the U.S. military standing orders to unleash a massive retaliatory strike if Tehran carries out or attempts to carry out an assassination against him.
“1,000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that the military had already received orders to “completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran” for a one-year period if such an attack were to occur.
Trump’s comments came amid renewed threats from Iran following the recent U.S.-Iran conflict and reports that Tehran continues to view Trump as a target for retaliation over the 2020 U.S. killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in addition to the assassination of its most recent leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
But while Trump’s language suggested a preauthorized military response, constitutional experts say no president can predetermine how a successor would respond to such an attack.
Monday, July 13, 2026