US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, 8 July publicly declared that he remains Iran's primary assassination target, making the remarks at a press conference following the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. Despite acknowledging the threat, Trump insisted it would not influence his decisions, stating that safeguarding the United States and preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon outweighed the personal dangers of the presidency.

Trump's Remarks at the NATO Summit

Speaking to reporters after the Ankara summit, Trump confirmed he had been asked whether he was returning to Washington on a different aircraft due to possible Iranian threats. He flatly rejected the suggestion, saying the new presidential aircraft was instead being flown to US military bases in Europe so service personnel could see it.

'I'm number one on the kill list for Iran,' Trump said. 'I'm number one, so I don't know... but I don't really care because I'm doing my job.'

He also addressed the broader personal dangers of holding office, remarking: 'The life of a President is very dangerous. You should have told me that years ago. Maybe I wouldn't have run.'

Earlier Exchange with NATO Chief

Earlier in the day, during a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump again referenced the alleged Iranian threats. 'They wanna take out the US leader, me,' he said. 'I'm on every list. I saw a thing this morning. I'm on every single one of their lists. So far, I guess I've been a little bit lucky.'

The remarks came amid an ongoing pattern of Trump publicly flagging Iranian hostility, which has escalated following US military operations targeting Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure.

Iran Policy and the Nuclear Question

At the afternoon press conference, Trump returned to the subject while defending his administration's Iran policy. 'I'm doing what's right for the country. I'm doing what's right for the world. They have to be stopped,' he said, linking the alleged assassination threats directly to his decision to order military action against Iranian targets.

He was unambiguous on the nuclear question: 'They will never have a nuclear weapon,' describing that objective as the central purpose of recent US military operations. He also referred to Iranian leadership in blunt terms, calling them 'scum' and asserting, 'That's the way they act and that's the way they've done it for 47 years.'

Context and Significance

This is not the first time Trump has publicly claimed to be a target of Iranian plots. US authorities have previously confirmed that Iran has sought to retaliate against American officials, including Trump, in connection with the 2020 killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. The public acknowledgement at a major multilateral forum like the NATO summit, however, marks a notable escalation in rhetoric.

Notably, Trump also drew a wry contrast: 'I like being number one on TikTok better, but I'm number one on the list for... killing.' The remark underscored his characteristically defiant posture even when addressing serious security threats.

What Comes Next

The statements are likely to intensify scrutiny of US-Iran relations at a moment when diplomatic channels remain largely frozen. With Trump firmly ruling out any security-driven policy retreat, the trajectory of confrontation with Tehran — particularly over its nuclear programme — appears set to continue.