Althouse: "President Trump has said he would ensure Iran was 'wiped off the face of the Earth' if the country carried out any assassination attempt against him...."

January 21, 2026

"President Trump has said he would ensure Iran was 'wiped off the face of the Earth' if the country carried out any assassination attempt against him...."

"In an interview with NewsNation that aired on Tuesday... the president said: 'I’ve left notification, if anything ever happens … the whole country’s going to get blown up. I would absolutely hit them so hard. I have very firm instructions, anything happens, they’re going to wipe them off the face of this Earth.'"

The London Times reports.

59 comments:

wendybar said...: Actions have consequences.; 1/21/26, 4:59 AM
Jaq said...: Projection. Who has been talking about assassinating the other side's supreme leader? But he should think about giving this kind of incentive to the neocons.; 1/21/26, 5:06 AM
mezzrow said...: File under "making the implicit explicit".; 1/21/26, 5:09 AM
FormerLawClerk said...: They probably believe this too. Fucking idiots.; 1/21/26, 5:09 AM
Olson Johnson is right! said...: Does a president have any power after his death? I'd say no.; 1/21/26, 5:09 AM
FormerLawClerk said...: Having said that, though, they don't let women vote. So maybe I've misjudged them.; 1/21/26, 5:10 AM
FormerLawClerk said...: President Trump needs to explain whether he's going to nuke Minneapolis off the map if Democrats succeed in murdering him, which is far more likely the outcome of his demise.

I'd like to see those instructions, please.; 1/21/26, 5:12 AM
Dave Begley said...: What about the “minor electrical issue” that forced AF 1 to turn back? The FBI needs to investigate the entire maintenance crew for traitors employed by Iran, Russia, China and the DNC.

We know that Iran loves planes.

Yeah, it sounds crazy but a kid with a rifle climbed a building and was nearly successful.; 1/21/26, 5:27 AM
Mr. Forward said...: Jaq said...
"Projection. Who has been talking about assassinating the other side's supreme leader?”

"Iranian state television aired a clip showing a photo of Trump with a bloodied ear from a previous assassination attempt, captioned with a warning that "this time, it (the bullet) won't miss."; 1/21/26, 5:29 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "What about the “minor electrical issue” that forced AF 1 to turn back?"

Remember the Maine.; 1/21/26, 5:39 AM
RideSpaceMountain said...: Iran successfully tested it's 1st true ICBM yesterday with 10,000km range. The reentry vehicle landed within Russia with their permission. Things just keep getting more interesting, rhetorically and otherwise.; 1/21/26, 6:11 AM
Rocco said...: Olson Johnson is right! said...
“Does a president have any power after his death? I'd say no.”

Maybe he’s trained himself to become a Jedi Force Spirit like OB1 became in the original Star Wars movie. Just think, he’ll be around to annoy TDS sufferers forever.

Instead of “Use the Force, Luke”, it will be “Wrong”, “Fake news”, “Covfefe”, and “Thank you for your attention in this matter.”; 1/21/26, 6:16 AM
Beasts of England said...: ’Does a president have any power after his death?’

No, but he can make Vance pinkie promise to avenge his death, and that’s legally binding.; 1/21/26, 6:20 AM
D.D. Driver said...: "But he should think about giving this kind of incentive to the neocons."

Or Israel.; 1/21/26, 6:22 AM
Inga said...: What makes Trump think the US would follow his orders after his death? What a narcissist.; 1/21/26, 6:25 AM
Ronald J. Ward said...: Obviously, Trump believes Iranians are as stupid as his Gullibles.; 1/21/26, 6:30 AM
gadfly said...: The Demented One hasn't figured out that dead is dead. He simply cannot stop 9-11(2.0). And his new bomb shelter will not be completed in time. Ba-bye!; 1/21/26, 6:35 AM
Mr. D said...: There are all sorts of people who would love to kill Trump if they could. I see people wishing for his death every day. The mullahs are certainly in that line.; 1/21/26, 6:37 AM
Beasts of England said...: ’He simply cannot stop 9-11(2.0). And his new bomb shelter will not be completed in time. Ba-bye!’

At least you’re not wishing for his death in a terrorist attack!; 1/21/26, 6:51 AM
gadfly said...: "Remember the Maine."

According to Admiral Rickover, Maine was lost to an onboard explosion, probably when a spontaneous coal fire detonated the 6-inch shell magazine. Spain, Cuban insurrectionaries, and yellow journalists had no part in destroying it. It did not justify the war and imperial project that came as a result and it revealed deep flaws in the structure and design of the new steam-driven U.S. fleet.; 1/21/26, 6:59 AM
Humperdink said...: At least he won’t be done in by an Iranian nuke. Preemption, it’s what’s for dinner. Which is why Trump wants Greenland. The Commie-Dems can’t think past their next meal.; 1/21/26, 7:01 AM
mindnumbrobot said...: Leftists love to indulge this topic with their sick and twisted Trump a**assination fantasies (desires?).; 1/21/26, 7:01 AM
Money Manger said...: The wily Trump has been closely studying the campaigns of Timur through Iran in the late 14th Century. Particularly to the resistance of Isfahan.; 1/21/26, 7:11 AM
buwaya said...: https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/world-war-i-articles/2020/december/a-christmas-party-then-tragedy-30-december-1915/

There was a spate of accidental magazine explosions on warships after explosive propellants switched to smokless powder and shell fillings went to high explosives. The Maine was just one of at least a dozen cases among major warships.; 1/21/26, 7:17 AM
Kurt Schuler said...: Most Iranians hate their government, as they have demonstrated with the recent protests that the government has suppressed only by killing thousands of people. It would be an act of supreme folly to punish the whole Iranian people rather than to target the masterminds of an assassination.; 1/21/26, 7:34 AM
Iman said...: Who let the dogs out?!; 1/21/26, 7:38 AM
narciso said...: Ruff ruff; 1/21/26, 7:40 AM
John henry said...: For those in Petaluma, we went to war with Spain over the USS Maine blowing up in Havana harbor. We accused the Spaniards of blowing it up with an underwater mine or torpedo.

It actually blew up because of spontaneous combustion in a coal bunker lighting off an adjacent ammo locker.

In fairness to the McKinley admin, they really believed the mine/torpedo and it was not till many years later that we found we owed Spain a big "Oopsie. Never mind"

John Henry; 1/21/26, 7:41 AM
Just an old country lawyer said...: Who does Inga think would succeed Trump if he died in office, Bernie Sanders?; 1/21/26, 7:56 AM
Beasts of England said...: ’It would be an act of supreme folly to punish the whole Iranian people rather than to target the masterminds of an assassination.’

World War One has entered the chat.; 1/21/26, 8:02 AM
Achilles said...: Inga said...

What makes Trump think the US would follow his orders after his death? What a narcissist.

How many illegal aliens and democrat communists will still be left in the country 6 months after he is killed? What an idiot.; 1/21/26, 8:04 AM
RideSpaceMountain said...: Assassination of a sitting head-of-state is quite possibly among the oldest casus belli in existence Inag...the entirety of the federal apparatus would respond severely regardless of who was sitting at the Resolute Desk.; 1/21/26, 8:11 AM
Bob Boyd said...: Does a president have any power after his death?

No, but assassination attempts fail.
Trump has already survived at two of them. Perhaps other plots we don't know about have been discovered and stopped in earlier stages. Perhaps even one by the mullahs.; 1/21/26, 8:20 AM
Achilles said...: Kurt Schuler said...

Most Iranians hate their government, as they have demonstrated with the recent protests that the government has suppressed only by killing thousands of people. It would be an act of supreme folly to punish the whole Iranian people rather than to target the masterminds of an assassination.

You fundamentally misunderstand how deterrence works.

In this situation Trump is threatening people who are explicitly saying they are willing to kill him. That means they will not be persuaded by moral arguments.

The mullahs of Iran would 100% like to kill Trump if they could. They have already crossed that threshold of action.

So there are now only 2 considerations in their mind: chance of success and chance of surviving the retaliation.

Trump is just making clear they have almost no chance of surviving the retaliation. Even if some of the top leaders are killed many of the mullah's henchmen would survive a limited response.

Your statement is morally juvenile. People like you get people killed in war.; 1/21/26, 8:26 AM
Robert Cook said...: "There are all sorts of people who would love to kill Trump if they could. I see people wishing for his death every day. The mullahs are certainly in that line."

No doubt, Trump's close family members are high in the cohort of those "people wishing for his death every day."; 1/21/26, 8:30 AM
ga6 said...: "Who does Inga think would succeed Trump if he died in office, Bernie Sanders? "

Matt Taibbi?; 1/21/26, 8:30 AM
Beasts of England said...: ’No doubt, Trump's close family members are high in the cohort of those "people wishing for his death every day."’

Let the hate flow through you, Cookie…; 1/21/26, 8:33 AM
Jaq said...: Well, it's a pissing contest then, because the West has been openly talking about a decapitation strike on Iran, and already tried one once just a couple of months ago to kill the leadership of Iran. I think that the more credible threats from Iran are cutting off 1/3 of the West's oil for months, even if they lose in a week, and should anybody use nukes on them, they will take out that NPP in Israel with missiles, turning half the country into a new Chernobyl district.

Killing the supreme leader of a country has consequences. My personal belief is that Israel would be willing to take a lot of punishment if that is what it would take to reduce Iran to a bunch of smaller countries ruled by easily bribed warlords. Israel is geographically too small to withstand a war of attrition with a fully economically developed Iran.; 1/21/26, 8:43 AM
Jaq said...: You can't understand this stuff if you take sides. The people making decisions at the top think of it more like a board game, for instance like a game of chess with the extra layer of having to convince your pawns that the other guys are evil and it's worth giving up their children's lives to kill them to gain control of a square..; 1/21/26, 8:45 AM
Lazarus said...: Doomsday Machine = Dead Man's Switch

Staffers should have "called a lid" before this press opportunity.; 1/21/26, 8:55 AM
RCOCEAN II said...: We only have to worry about Iran doing assassinations as "payback" for the endless Israeli assassinations of Irainian leaders and scientists. The USA approves of them, and even occassionally does one themselves.

But I doubt Iran would target Trump. The VP is just as anti-Iran. Most likely Irainian target would be Israeli officials.; 1/21/26, 9:05 AM
RCOCEAN II said...: We're just Israel's lapdog at this point. 'Muricans actually seem proud that a small country that wouldn't exist except for our constant massive aid controls us, instead of us controlling them.

Our politicians can't wait to get out of Congress with all that boring domestic legislation so they can fly to Israel and wail at the wailing wall and get their instructions on how to behave. I'm shocked that Miss Lindsey doesn't have a condo in Tel Aviv - next to a Gay disco.; 1/21/26, 9:08 AM
RCOCEAN II said...: We only care about this tiny country - Iran has the GDP of New Jersey - 5000 miles away ( or is it longer?) because of AIPAC and moronic stupidity of 'muricans, who refuse to mind their own business. Whether Iran as a few nukes is none of our concern. Pakistan and India have them. So does Israel. Even N. Korea does. One more country isn't going to make a difference.; 1/21/26, 9:11 AM
narciso said...: The west was fine with irans nuclear problem till the shah fell; 1/21/26, 9:15 AM
JK Brown said...: That's actually a good ploy. If Trump is assassinated, President J.D. Vance can go redneck retribution on them. He comes from the stock that live by the feud and can channel his inner Andrew Jackson.; 1/21/26, 9:39 AM
Rustygrommet said...: Kurt Schuler said...
"Most Iranians hate their government, as they have demonstrated with the recent protests that the government has suppressed only by killing thousands of people. It would be an act of supreme folly to punish the whole Iranian people rather than to target the masterminds of an assassination."

Do you ever see the news?; 1/21/26, 9:51 AM
tcrosse said...: A golden oldie for your consideration; 1/21/26, 9:52 AM
Paul said...: Why wait for an assassination attempt Trump? Iran has deserved it for many many years.; 1/21/26, 10:12 AM
Rustygrommet said...: Robert Cook said...
"There are all sorts of people who would love to kill Trump if they could. I see people wishing for his death every day. The mullahs are certainly in that line."

No doubt, Trump's close family members are high in the cohort of those "people wishing for his death every day."

You really are a horrible person.; 1/21/26, 11:36 AM
hombre said...: Sometimes I love the hyperbole, but we can’t do this to innocent, oppressed Iranians.; 1/21/26, 12:13 PM
john mosby said...: We did it to innocent, oppressed Germans and Japanese. CC, JSM; 1/21/26, 2:00 PM
Achilles said...: RCOCEAN II said...
We're just Israel's lapdog at this point. 'Muricans actually seem proud that a small country that wouldn't exist except for our constant massive aid controls us, instead of us controlling them.

You need to stop being silly.

There are numerous good reasons to kill the mullahs. The world would be better for Americans if the mullahs ceased to rule Iran.

Your hatred of Israel is clouding your judgement. The mullahs holding shipping hostage in the suez and Persian gulf by itself makes it worth killing them.

All of our bases in the Middle East exist because of the mullahs.

Removing AIPAC from congress and removing the Israel first cucks like Ted Cruz from the Republican Party is a solid goal. Don’t screw it up with silliness like this.; 1/21/26, 2:35 PM
tcrosse said...: Innocent, oppressed Germans and Japanese were happy to do it to innocent, oppressed Russians and Chinese.; 1/21/26, 2:35 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: "There are numerous good reasons to kill the mullahs. The world would be better for Americans if the mullahs ceased to rule Iran"

Really? Name three. And be specific.; 1/21/26, 3:22 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: And I don't care about "the world" I care about the USA. Iran has almost nothing - zero - to with us.; 1/21/26, 3:23 PM
n.n said...: FAFO; 1/21/26, 4:14 PM
Jim at said...: What makes Trump think the US would follow his orders after his death? What a narcissist.

Just who is Vice-President?

Did you take a whole bottle of stupid pills this morning?; 1/21/26, 4:51 PM
Jim at said...: And do notice none of our resident leftists are actually expressing any concern that Iran has explicitly threatened to kill the President of the United States.; 1/21/26, 4:56 PM
Bunkypotatohead said...: Team America. Fuck yeah!; 1/21/26, 11:34 PM