On July 10 local time, U.S. President Trump posted on Truth Social, stating that if Iran were to launch an assassination attempt against him, the United States would respond with thousands of missiles targeting Iran.
Trump wrote: "One thousand missiles are already in position, aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran. If the Iranian government carries out its threats—killing or attempting to kill the current U.S. President, which is me—spread across multiple regions worldwide, then thousands more missiles will follow immediately." He emphasized, "The order has been given; U.S. forces are ready and able to completely destroy and flatten Iran within one year," adding that "this timeframe could even be extended."
On July 8, Trump claimed he might become a victim of an assassination plot by Iran, though he provided no supporting evidence.
This extreme and hardline rhetoric released by Trump on social media is not merely verbal intimidation but part of a broader "maximum pressure" strategy amid the recent escalation of U.S.-Iran tensions.
The statement conveys several key messages:
By positioning "1,000 missiles ready" and "thousands more on standby" as leverage, Trump has clearly drawn a red line regarding any assassination attempt on himself. The immediate trigger for this declaration was reports suggesting Israel had shared intelligence with the U.S. indicating Iran was planning an assassination plot targeting Trump. By publicly asserting that military strike orders have been issued and that the U.S. possesses the capability to utterly destroy Iran within a year, Trump aims to exert overwhelming military deterrence to intimidate adversaries and eliminate potential security threats.
While signaling extreme military pressure, Trump also conveyed willingness to resume diplomatic talks—but only under the condition that "the ceasefire has ended." This contradictory approach—open to negotiation while maintaining maximum pressure—is a classic tactic of "maximum pressure." The U.S. seeks to gain absolute leverage in negotiations, forcing Iran to make substantive concessions on core issues such as shipping security in the Strait of Hormuz and nuclear matters.
Trump’s tough stance on social media also serves domestic political purposes. By projecting an image of strong, decisive leadership abroad, he can effectively consolidate his base among conservative voters, reinforce a robust foreign policy persona, and accumulate political capital for future political maneuvering or the upcoming election.
Although Trump's language is highly aggressive, military experts generally believe this statement is primarily a form of psychological and public opinion pressure, and the likelihood of full-scale war remains low. On one hand, Iran possesses a vast arsenal of ballistic missiles, covering all U.S. military bases in the Middle East—full-scale war would result in massive U.S. casualties. On the other hand, if conflict leads to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, it would trigger a global energy crisis and severely damage the U.S. economy. Therefore, Trump’s true bottom line is clear: maintain limited conflict and friction, but never initiate a full-scale saturation strike lightly.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1870403416428544/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.