Kathrine Frich
The threat, according to Bolton, is not abstract. It’s real, active, and increasingly global.
The threat, according to Bolton, is not abstract. It’s real, active, and increasingly global.
Former U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton has issued a stark warning: Donald Trump is Iran’s top target in an active assassination plot. In a chilling interview on Sky News,
Bolton revealed that Tehran’s network of operatives is still seeking revenge for the 2020 killing of Qasem Soleimani, placing Trump, along with several former U.S. officials, at the top of their hit list.
Trump Named Iran’s Number One Assassination Target
Bolton claimed the Iranian regime has prioritized Donald Trump as their most high-profile target for assassination.
The motive, he said, stems from the 2020 drone strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, which was ordered during Trump’s presidency.
“This is Not Hypothetical,” Warns Bolton
“This really is unprecedented,” said Bolton, who himself was nearly the victim of a foiled Iranian plot in 2022.
He warned that Tehran’s efforts extend beyond political grandstanding and involve criminal proxies in Europe and the U.S., including Eastern European gangs.
A Broader Threat to U.S. Officials
Trump isn’t the only one on Iran’s radar. According to Bolton, other former cabinet officials are also named on Iranian hit lists.
He also said that these individuals are being targeted not for opposing the regime as dissidents, but for their official roles in government policy and action.
The Soleimani Connection
Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force, an elite unit of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was considered a terrorist by the U.S.
His death in a U.S. airstrike was a turning point in U.S.-Iran relations and triggered vows of revenge from Tehran’s leadership.
Iran’s Terror Network Spans Continents
Bolton emphasized that Iran’s operational capabilities reach far beyond the Middle East.
“Their terror network is extensive in Europe and in the United States,” he said, raising fears of covert operations carried out by non-state actors on Western soil.
The Role of Criminal Proxies
One of the more alarming revelations is Iran’s alleged use of criminal organizations, particularly from Eastern Europe, to carry out attacks.
This makes their reach harder to trace and the threat more unpredictable, especially in open Western societies.
Iran’s Retaliation Strategy Still Active
Despite years having passed since Soleimani’s death, Bolton insisted the Iranian regime has not moved on.
“They’re patient,” he warned, “but they are persistent.”
The former adviser believes that Tehran continues to pursue revenge as a long-term strategic objective.