Former President Donald Trump has highlighted the personal stakes involved in the ongoing US military campaign against Iran, a conflict marked by assassination attempts and retaliatory strikes.

In a phone conversation with ABC correspondent Jonathan Karl shortly after launching the US military campaign against Iran in February, Trump reflected on an Israeli airstrike, conducted with US approval, that killed Iranian leaders including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump linked this attack directly to alleged Iranian threats against him over the years.

Trump's first term saw the January 2020 missile strike that killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) leader Qasem Soleimani, after which Iranian leaders promised reprisals against him and senior US officials. The Biden administration later warned Iran in 2022 against targeting US citizens following a discovered plot against former Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton.

In July 2024, Trump survived a gunman attack at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, an event described by New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman as "a galvanising moment for him," especially in light of Iranian plots and assassination attempts.

Trump has publicly stated on Truth Social that Iran threatened to assassinate him, warning that 1,000 missiles were "Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran," with thousands more ready if Iran acted on its threats.

During a recent episode, Trump left the media and most White House staff to depart on the presidential Air Force One 747 jet, which served as a decoy, emphasizing the personal danger he perceives in his relationship with Iran.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed Trump's sentiment in March, stating, "Iran tried to kill President Trump, and President Trump got the last laugh," referring to US strikes that killed an Iranian assassination unit leader.

Trump has expressed that the constant threat from Iran has been a persistent concern for him, stating, "I got him before he got me. They tried twice. Well, I got him first." He also remarked, "Nobody told me how dangerous it is to be president, and if they had told me, I probably wouldn't have run."

This series of events marks another striking episode in the turbulent history of Trump's relationship with Iran, underscoring the personal and geopolitical complexities involved.

Sources