Intelligence officials have warned Republican presidential candidate of ‘real and specific threats from Iran’, according to his campaign.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has alleged receiving “major threats” to his life following a U.S. intelligence briefing on purported assassination plans by Iran.
On Wednesday, the former president posted on his Truth Social platform, stating that “the entire U.S. military is watching and waiting.” He added, “Iran made previous attempts that failed, but they will try again. I am now surrounded by more security, weapons, and personnel than ever before.”
Steven Cheung, Trump’s campaign spokesperson, confirmed on Tuesday that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) had warned Trump about “real and specific threats from Iran to assassinate him,” with the aim of destabilizing the U.S.
Cheung mentioned that intelligence officials noted these attacks have escalated in recent months. Law enforcement is actively working to protect Trump and ensure the November 5 election is free from external interference. Iran has previously denied accusations of meddling in U.S. affairs. The Iranian mission to the United Nations did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters on Tuesday.
An ODNI spokesperson confirmed the briefing but did not disclose details, according to Reuters.
It remains unclear whether the threats mentioned by Trump’s campaign are new or a continuation of previously reported threats.
Last month, Trump accused Iran of hacking his campaign, claiming the Iranian government had accessed and leaked internal documents, though no evidence was provided. The accusations followed a Microsoft report on foreign interference in U.S. elections. Iran also denied these allegations.
Two months ago, Iran rejected accusations of plotting to kill Trump, shortly after a gunman attacked a rally in Pennsylvania, killing one and wounding Trump. Following this, U.S. media reported intelligence of an alleged Iranian plot, leading to heightened security for Trump. Iran dismissed these claims as “malicious.”
Additionally, earlier this month, a Pakistani man with alleged connections to Iran pleaded not guilty to charges related to a plot to kill Trump, allegedly in retaliation for the 2020 U.S. assassination of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, an attack ordered by Trump during his presidency.
Federal authorities are also investigating a separate assassination attempt at Trump’s Florida golf course in mid-September, although no Iranian involvement has been confirmed.
