Any attempt on Donald Trump's life would be considered an act of war: US warns Iran

The United States has issued a stern warning to Iran, urging the government to halt any plans targeting former President Donald Trump, according to a US official quoted in a Reuters report.

Sunita Iyer

First Published Oct 15, 2024, 10:29 AM IST | Last Updated Oct 15, 2024, 10:29 AM IST

The United States has issued a stern warning to Iran, urging the government to halt any plans targeting former President Donald Trump, according to a US official quoted in a Reuters report. Washington has reportedly made it clear that any attempt on Trump's life would be considered an act of war.

The official, speaking anonymously to the news agency, revealed that President Joe Biden has been receiving regular briefings on the threats against Trump and other former US officials. Biden has directed his national security team to address these Iranian plots.

"At Biden's direction, top US officials have sent messages to the highest levels of the Iranian government warning Tehran to cease all plotting against Trump and former US officials," the official was quoted as saying.

The official added, "The Iranians have been told that Washington would view it as an act of war if any attempt was carried out against Trump's life."

Iran has denied any involvement in US affairs, instead accusing Washington of decades of interference in its own internal matters. Tehran points to events such as the 1953 coup against its prime minister and the 2020 assassination of a top military commander in a US drone strike as evidence of American meddling.

In January 2020, then-President Donald Trump authorized a US airstrike that killed Iran's top military leader, Qassem Soleimani. Trump acted on intelligence suggesting that Soleimani was plotting imminent attacks against US diplomats and military personnel in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and other parts of the Middle East.

Now, Trump, a Republican, is attempting a political comeback, seeking to return to the White House after losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden. He faces Vice President Kamala Harris in the race for the November 5 election.

On September 24, Donald Trump's campaign revealed that he had been briefed by US intelligence officials regarding the alleged threat from Iran.

The White House emphasized that the US has been closely monitoring Iranian threats against Trump for several years, issuing a stern warning that any attack on a US citizen by Tehran would result in "severe consequences."

"We consider this a national and homeland security matter of the highest priority, and we strongly condemn Iran for these brazen threats. Should Iran attack any of our citizens,including those who continue to serve the United States or those who formerly served, Iran will face severe consequences," said White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett.

He added "appropriate agencies are continuously and promptly providing the former president's security detail with evolving threat information."

"Additionally, President Biden has reiterated his directive that the United States Secret Service should receive every resource, capability, and protective measure required to address those evolving threats to the former president," Savett concluded.

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