Donald Trump stated on Wednesday that Iran posed “big threats” to his life, following reports from his campaign staff that US intelligence had warned him of “real and specific” threats from Tehran.
“Iran has issued serious threats to my life. “The entire US military is watching and waiting,” Trump stated on his Truth Social platform.
Iran has already attempted unsuccessful moves, but plans to try again. “I am surrounded by more men, guns, and weapons than I have ever seen before,” he claimed, citing intensified surveillance of the US Secret Service following two assassination attempts on Trump this year.
Trump’s campaign team said in a statement Tuesday that US intelligence had informed the former president of “real and specific” Iranian attempts to assassinate him. It was unclear whether the threats mentioned by the campaign and Trump himself were new or had already been documented.
“President Trump was briefed earlier today by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence regarding real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him in an effort to destabilise and sow chaos in the United States,” campaign communications director Steven Cheung said in the statement.
“Intelligence officials have identified that these continued and coordinated attacks have heightened in the past few months, and law enforcement officials across all agencies are working to ensure President Trump is protected and the election is free from interference,” he added.
The campaign did not elaborate on the assertions, which came as international leaders work to keep tensions between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel from growing into a larger regional war.
Iran has denied allegations that it is attempting to assassinate Trump this summer, shortly after a gunman opened fire at a rally in Pennsylvania, killing one and injuring the presidential candidate.
Days after the July 13 assassination attempt, US media reported that officials had obtained intelligence on an alleged Iranian plot against the Republican, necessitating increased protection for him. Iran dismissed the “malicious” claims.
Iranian Cyber Attacks
US security agencies have also accused Iran of a hack targeting Trump’s campaign, claiming that Tehran is attempting to influence the 2024 election. According to a joint statement issued this month by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Iranian cyberattackers offered “stolen, non-public” material from Trump’s campaign to staff for his then-White House rival, President Joe Biden.
“Foreign actors are increasing their election influence activities” as election day in November approaches, the statement said, singling out Russia, Iran and China as “trying by some measure to exacerbate divisions in US society for their own benefit.”
According to US agencies, Iranian cybercriminals also made an effort to provide US media outlets with the data they had taken from the Trump campaign. It did not name the outlets. Iran has vigorously refuted the allegations as well.
On August 13, Kamala Harris, a Democrat running against Trump for president, announced that her campaign had also been targeted by foreign hackers.
However, she did not specify which nation was thought to be responsible for the attempt. Voting took place in the United States on November 5. According to polls, Trump and Harris—who started her campaign after Biden left earlier this summer—are virtually tied.
Written by Jennifer Amarachi
