I'm on every single one of their lists. So far, I guess I've been a bit lucky.
Six years after the killing of Qassem Soleimani reshaped the architecture of American-Iranian relations, Israel has delivered intelligence to Washington indicating that Tehran has moved from rhetoric to operational planning in its pursuit of retribution against President Trump. The warning arrives at a moment of unusual diplomatic complexity — Trump and Netanyahu, though bound by shared interests, are navigating different visions of how to manage a fragile post-conflict equilibrium with Iran. History has long taught that the distance between a grievance declared sacred and an act of violence is measured not in intention but in opportunity, and that distance now appears to be narrowing.
- Israel has handed Washington intelligence suggesting Iran has developed a concrete operational plan to assassinate President Trump — not a threat, but a plot.
- Trump himself acknowledged the danger publicly, saying he appears on 'every single one of their lists,' framing Iran's leadership as 'evil, sick people' requiring eradication.
- At Khamenei's funeral, mourners openly chanted for Trump's death and displayed banners declaring 'We Will Kill Trump,' signaling that retaliation for Soleimani remains a matter of national and religious obligation.
- Trump and Netanyahu, despite recent strategic divergence over whether to sustain military pressure or preserve a ceasefire, spoke Thursday and reaffirmed coordination — the assassination intelligence now complicating Trump's bid for regional de-escalation.
- The White House has released no details on the plot's specificity or countermeasures, leaving the full shape of the threat — and the response — shrouded in deliberate silence.
Israeli intelligence officials delivered a stark warning to Washington this week: Iran has developed a new operational plan to assassinate President Trump. The disclosure, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, marks a significant escalation in threats that have followed Trump since his 2020 decision to kill IRGC Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in a Baghdad airstrike — a strike that fundamentally altered the trajectory of U.S.-Iran relations and elevated retaliation to a matter of Iranian national honor.
The timing is layered with tension. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu have recently diverged on Iran strategy following last month's military conflict between Israel and Tehran. Netanyahu favors sustained military pressure; Trump has moved toward preserving a fragile ceasefire that followed American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Despite those differences, the two leaders spoke Thursday and reaffirmed their coordination, with Trump briefing Netanyahu on recent U.S. military activity in the Persian Gulf.
When pressed on the assassination report, the White House pointed to Trump's own words from Wednesday. 'They want to take out the US leader — me,' Trump said, adding that he appeared on 'every single one of their lists' and describing Iran's leadership as 'evil, sick people' whose influence must be rooted out. His tone conveyed both acknowledgment and resolve.
The warning is set against a backdrop of explicit public hostility. At Khamenei's funeral, mourners chanted for Trump's death and raised banners reading 'We Will Kill Trump' — underscoring what Iranian officials have maintained for six years: that Soleimani's killing demands retribution.
What remains unknown is the plot's operational stage, its specificity, and what countermeasures are already in motion. Neither Israel's Embassy nor Iran's UN Mission has commented substantively. What is clear is that the intelligence complicates Trump's delicate calculus — potentially hardening his posture toward Tehran even as he seeks to prevent further escalation from spiraling beyond control.
Israeli intelligence officials delivered a warning to Washington this week: Iran has developed a new operational plan to assassinate President Trump. The disclosure, reported by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday, represents a significant escalation in threats that have shadowed Trump since his 2020 decision to strike and kill Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, in a Baghdad airstrike.
The timing of the intelligence share is notable. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have recently diverged on how to handle Iran following last month's military conflict between the two nations. Netanyahu has pushed for sustained military pressure on Tehran, while Trump has moved toward preserving what he views as a fragile ceasefire that followed American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Despite these strategic differences, the two leaders spoke Thursday and reaffirmed their commitment to ongoing coordination, with Trump briefing Netanyahu on recent U.S. military activity in the Persian Gulf.
When asked about the assassination plot report, the White House directed inquiries to Trump's own comments from Wednesday. "They want to take out the US leader — me," Trump said. "I'm on whatever list. I saw this morning I'm on every single one of their lists. And so far, I guess I've been a bit lucky, but maybe that doesn't last very long. These are evil, sick people. And we have to root out that cancer." His language suggested both acknowledgment of the threat and a hardened resolve to confront it.
The intelligence warning arrives against a backdrop of explicit Iranian hostility. At the funeral of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, mourners chanted calls for Trump's death and held aloft a banner declaring, "We Will Kill Trump." These public displays underscore what Iranian officials have stated repeatedly over the past six years: that retaliation for Soleimani's death remains a matter of national honor and religious duty.
Soleimani's killing in January 2020 fundamentally altered the trajectory of U.S.-Iran relations. The general was one of the most powerful military figures in Iran, architect of the country's regional proxy network, and a figure of near-mythic status within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His death was presented by the Trump administration as a necessary act of self-defense against an imminent threat. Iran responded with ballistic missile strikes on American bases in Iraq but stopped short of further escalation at that time.
Now, six years later, the cycle appears to be tightening. The new plot intelligence suggests that Iranian leadership has moved beyond rhetorical threats to concrete operational planning. What remains unclear is the specificity of the threat, the stage of planning, or what countermeasures are already in place. The White House has not released details, and neither Israel's Embassy in Washington nor Iran's Mission to the United Nations has provided substantive comment.
The disclosure also reflects the delicate position both Trump and Netanyahu find themselves in. They need each other—Trump for regional intelligence and military coordination, Netanyahu for validation of Israeli security concerns—yet they disagree on the path forward. Netanyahu sees continued pressure as the only language Tehran understands. Trump, having just overseen strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure, appears to believe that a moment of restraint might prevent further escalation. The assassination plot intelligence complicates that calculus considerably, potentially pushing Trump toward a harder line even as he seeks to stabilize the situation.
Citações Notáveis
They want to take out the US leader — me. I'm on whatever list. These are evil, sick people. And we have to root out that cancer.— President Trump, Wednesday remarks
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why would Iran risk a direct assassination attempt now, when tensions are already so high?
Because for them, Soleimani's death isn't a past grievance—it's an open wound. Six years later, it's still the defining act of American aggression in their eyes. A new plot doesn't mean they're reckless; it means they've decided the cost of inaction is higher than the cost of trying.
But Trump and Netanyahu are supposedly coordinating. Doesn't that make an attempt even more dangerous for Iran?
It does. But that's partly the point. Netanyahu wants sustained pressure; Trump wants a ceasefire. Iran sees daylight between them. A plot keeps both leaders focused on Iran as the threat, not on their disagreements.
What does Trump actually mean when he says he's "on every single one of their lists"?
He's acknowledging the threat while also performing confidence. He's saying: I know they want me dead, and I'm not afraid. It's a way of owning the danger rather than being owned by it.
Is this intelligence real, or is it being used to shape policy?
Both things can be true. The intelligence may be genuine. But its release, its timing, its framing—that's always political. It hardens Trump's position on Iran right when he was considering restraint.
What happens next?
Security around Trump tightens. The U.S. probably increases intelligence collection on Iranian networks. And the ceasefire Trump wanted becomes much harder to maintain. One plot allegation can undo months of diplomatic work.