President Trump publicly declared at a NATO summit press conference that Iran has placed him at the top of its assassination kill list — and he says that threat is one reason he skipped flying home on the new Air Force One.

Story Snapshot

• Trump told reporters he is “number one on the kill list for Iran,” making the statement publicly at the NATO summit and again to the New York Post.
• Trump linked the threat to his decision not to fly home on the new Qatari-gifted Air Force One, citing security concerns over the aircraft.
• The Department of Justice has already charged an Iranian national in a separate murder-for-hire plot targeting Trump, giving the threat real legal weight.
• Trump says Iran also targeted the NATO summit itself, a claim that has not been independently confirmed by NATO or U.S. officials.

Trump Names Himself Iran’s Top Target

Speaking to reporters at the NATO summit, President Trump said plainly: “I’m number one on the kill list for Iran.” He repeated the claim in a separate interview with the New York Post, tying it directly to his security decisions. Trump said Iran has targeted him because of his aggressive stance against the regime — including military strikes that he says have wiped out multiple layers of Iranian leadership. The public nature of the statement was striking. Presidents rarely speak this bluntly about personal assassination threats.

Trump also said Iran called for a bombing at the NATO summit specifically to target him. He warned that such an attack would trigger a full-scale war between Iran, the United States, and NATO allies. No NATO government or U.S. official has publicly confirmed that specific threat. Still, the broader danger from Iran is not in dispute — the Department of Justice charged an Iranian national named Farhad Shakeri in a murder-for-hire plot aimed at killing Trump, showing the threat has real teeth.

The Air Force One Decision Explained

Trump flew home from the NATO summit on the older Air Force One — the VC-25A — rather than the newer Qatari-gifted plane. He cited the kill list threat as part of his reasoning. Sources also reported that capabilities on the new aircraft were questioned. The decision drew attention because the new plane had been a high-profile diplomatic gift. Trump’s explanation frames it as a security call, not a snub — he says when you’re the top target on an enemy’s list, you don’t take chances with unproven equipment.

Iran’s Threat Is Real — Even If the List Isn’t Confirmed

No intelligence document or Iranian government source has publicly confirmed the existence of a formal kill list with Trump ranked first. That is worth noting. But the threat from Iran against Trump and his allies is well-documented. Politico reported in 2024 that Iran maintained assassination plans targeting former Trump administration officials. The Justice Department’s charges against Shakeri showed an active Iranian plot to kill Trump — not a hypothetical. The kill list may not have a confirmed paper trail, but the danger behind it is real.

🚨'I AM NUMBER 1 ON THEIR [Iran's] LIST' — Trump to journalists aboard Air Force One

📌 'WE WILL KILL TRUMP' messages DISPLAYED on buildings across Iran#IRAN | #USA https://t.co/STYS81Alc4 pic.twitter.com/iWVDmPxhQQ

— ⚡️🌎 World News 🌐⚡️ (@ferozwala) July 8, 2026

Trump also said Iran’s leadership has been decimated by U.S. and Israeli strikes, calling it “regime change.” He claimed dozens of Iranian leaders have been killed in waves of strikes. Reports confirm that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes, and Israel separately killed two top Iranian commanders. Trump’s broader point — that Iran is weakened and desperate — fits the pattern of a regime that might lash out at its top enemy. A cornered regime with a hit list is more dangerous, not less. Americans should take that seriously, even as they demand verified facts from their leaders.

Sources:

facebook.com, youtube.com, instagram.com, npr.org, politico.com