Trump suggests he has left a standing order to attack Iran if it assassinates him. But Vance would make the call

By — Will Weissert, Associated Press Will Weissert, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/trump-suggests-he-has-left-a-standing-order-to-attack-iran-if-it-assassinates-him-but-vance-would-make-the-call Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Trump suggests he has left a standing order to attack Iran if it assassinates him. But Vance would make the call Nation Jul 13, 2026 1:41 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is suggesting he has left standing orders for the U.S. military to destroy Iran " at levels they've never seen before " if Tehran follows through on its long-standing threats to kill him. But the U.S. government has no way to create an automatic, preauthorized "dead man's switch" that would prompt immediate retaliation. Instead, if Trump were killed, the transfer of power to his successor is governed by the 25th Amendment and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. Vice President JD Vance instantaneously would become commander in chief and have authority for any retaliation. Under such a scenario, Vance could do exactly what Trump called for, though there also is a chance he could decide not to follow his predecessor's orders — or offer a direct response in a different way. "The U.S. has, for a whole variety of reasons, never utilized a technical 'dead man's switch,'" said Garrett M. Graff, author of "Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government's Secret Plan to Save Itself -- While the Rest of Us Die." The United States does have extensive contingency plans for continuity of government in the event of a nuclear attack or other major catastrophe that wipes out most or all of Washington. But those plans also do not allow for immediately launching retaliatory strikes upon the death of a president, even if that president had demanded that the military be ready to do so. READ MORE: Trump says U.S. will blockade Iran in the Strait of Hormuz and will charge a toll for safe passage Trump nonetheless posted on his social media website Saturday that Iran had made threats "to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate" him and he said 1,000 "missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat." Iran's supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said hours later that Iranians would continue to avenge the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The elder Khamenei died in the initial U.S. and Israeli strikes that started the war in late February, and he was mourned in funeral events throughout Iran this week. His son said retaliation "is the will of our nation and must certainly be carried out." "We pledge to take revenge for the pure blood of you and all the martyrs of these two wars from the criminal and disgraceful killers," he said in remarks aired on state television. "This revenge is the will of our nation and must certainly be carried