President Donald Trump delivered one of his strongest warnings yet to Iran’s leadership, saying the country would face total destruction if any harm were to come to him, as reports circulate of continued unrest and violence inside Iran.
Speaking in response to a question about ongoing protests and alleged assassination threats, Trump said Iranian leaders should immediately stop issuing threats and provocations. “They shouldn’t be doing it,” he said, adding that he has already made his position clear to Tehran.
Trump stated that he has issued direct instructions warning of overwhelming consequences if an attack were carried out against him. “If anything ever happens, the whole country is going to get blown up,” he said, underscoring the seriousness of the warning. He went further, saying that in such a scenario, Iran would be “wiped off the face of the earth.”
President Trump warned Tuesday that the U.S. would respond forcefully if Iran acts on alleged assassination threats against him. Speaking exclusively with NewsNation’s @KatiePavlich, Trump said, “Anything ever happens, the whole country is going to get blown up." @KatiePavlichNN… pic.twitter.com/JA5YeHc2RE
— NewsNation (@NewsNation) January 21, 2026
The remarks come amid reports that protesters in Iran continue to face brutal repression, with claims that demonstrators are being burned alive by the thousands. Trump also addressed reports that an assassination threat had been issued against him over the weekend, though he acknowledged he could not discuss specific details of security planning or potential responses.
Trump criticized former President Joe Biden for what he described as a failure to respond forcefully to past threats. “Originally, Biden should have said something when they made that statement,” Trump said. “A president has to defend a president.” He argued that silence in the face of such threats emboldens hostile actors.
The president framed his warning as a matter of deterrence, saying that even if threats were directed at someone other than himself, the United States should respond decisively. “If I were here and they were making that threat to someone—even if that person weren’t a president—I would absolutely hit them so hard,” he said.
Trump’s comments align with his recent calls for “new leadership” in Iran and reflect a broader hardline posture toward the Iranian regime. While U.S. officials have not announced any immediate military action, the president’s language signals a willingness to escalate dramatically if American leaders or interests are targeted.
The warning is likely to reverberate internationally, coming at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East and ongoing scrutiny of Iran’s internal repression, regional activities, and relationship with the United States.
