President Trump Says He Is Iran's Top Assassination Target

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he is Iran's number one target for assassination. He made the statement at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, while recounting how the U.S. and Israel had killed most of Tehran's senior leadership in the opening days of the war that began five months ago.

"They had leaders, they're gone, and they had another set of leaders, they're gone. Who knows? And you know what, I may be gone too, because I'm their No.

He added that he holds the top position "because they're scum. " Trump described Iran's current leadership as "a little loco" and "a little crazy" in the same remarks. He also said the remaining leaders in Tehran are "a little more rational" than those killed in earlier airstrikes, though he noted their actions over the last week or two might indicate otherwise.

Those actions include attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz that prompted renewed U.S. airstrikes. Iranian leaders have sought to assassinate Trump since late 2019, when he ordered the drone strike that killed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leader General Qassem Soleimani.

A federal jury in New York convicted Asif Merchant in March on murder-for-hire and terrorism charges tied to an Iranian-led plot against Trump during the 2024 election season. Merchant admitted the IRGC arranged his travel to the U.S. to organize the assassination.

Trump was the target of two additional attempts in 2024 and a failed effort at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in April 2026. A jury convicted Ryan Routh of multiple federal charges in September 2025, and he received a life sentence in February 2026. Asked about the risk, Trump said the presidency is "a very dangerous profession" and that he does not care because he is doing his job.