Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump hosted a town hall at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center on October 14, 2024, in Oaks, Pennsylvania. – AFP
The United States has cautioned the Iranian government to halt all schemes targeting Republican Donald Trump, stating that Washington would consider any attempt on his life as an act of war, according to a US official on Monday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that President Joe Biden has been regularly updated on the threats and instructed his team to counter Iranian plots against Americans. At Biden's directive, senior US officials have conveyed messages to the highest echelons of the Iranian government, warning Tehran to cease all plotting against Trump and former US officials. The Iranians have been explicitly informed that Washington would view any assassination attempt on Trump as an act of war, the official added. Iran has consistently denied meddling in US affairs. Conversely, Tehran accuses Washington of interfering in its internal matters for decades, citing events from a 1953 coup against a prime minister to the 2020 killing of its military commander in a US drone strike.
In January 2020, Trump authorized a US air strike that resulted in the death of Iran's then-top military commander, Qassem Soleimani, after receiving intelligence indicating that Soleimani was planning imminent attacks on US diplomats and armed forces in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and other Middle Eastern countries. Trump, a Republican, is currently vying for a return to the White House after his defeat in the 2020 election to Biden. He is now contesting against Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 election. His campaign disclosed on September 24 that Trump had been briefed by US intelligence officials regarding the alleged threat from Iran. The White House affirmed that the United States has been closely monitoring Iranian threats against Trump for years and warned of 'severe consequences' if Tehran were to attack any US citizen. '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,' stated White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett.
Savett further noted that '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.
