Trump says Iran threatened to assassinate him and locks 1,000 missileslocks 1,000 missiles at Iran
US President Trump announced on Saturday that Iran threatened to assassinate him and declared 1,000 missiles are locked and loaded at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands more ready to follow if an attack occurs.
He stated there is no 'dead man's switch' to automatically attack Iran if he is killed, meaning Vice President Vance would decide on any response.
This matters as it signals a potential escalation in the US-Iran conflict and clarifies how the US military chain of command would function if the leader is assassinated.
Trump
Trump claims Iran threatened to assassinate him and states that 1,000 missiles are locked and loaded at the Islamic Republic, with thousands more ready to follow if Iran attacks.
Times of India
Vance would decide whether to carry out Trump's desired response, modify it, or reject it altogether, as the US has never utilized a technical dead man's switch to automatically launch attacks.
- Iran has been a central focus of US foreign policy since the 1979 revolution that overthrew the Shah.
- The term 'dead man's switch' originated in Cold War-era discussions about automatic nuclear retaliation.
- Vance became Vice President in 2024 after Trump was elected to a second term.
US-Iran-Israel War
The United States and Israel are engaged in a full-scale war with Iran following the collapse of a June 17 memorandum of understanding on July 8. President Trump declared the ceasefire over after Iran attacked three commercial ships during a diplomatic pause for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's funeral, launching massive new airstrikes on July 9 targeting 90 military sites, including the Bushehr nuclear plant.
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