President Donald Trump claims he has issued standing orders for the U.S. military to destroy Iran “at levels they’ve never seen before” if Tehran acts on its threats to kill him. This declaration comes amidst an ongoing war that began in late February, marking this year's escalation of imperial aggression. The U.S. government, however, lacks an automatic “dead man’s switch” for such preauthorized retaliation.
Instead, the 25th Amendment and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 govern the transfer of power. Vice President JD Vance would instantaneously become commander in chief. He would then hold the authority for any retaliatory action.
The State's Role in Perpetuating Conflict
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,” notes the U.S. has never utilized a technical “dead man’s switch.” Extensive contingency plans exist for continuity of government in a major catastrophe. These plans do not allow for immediate retaliatory strikes upon a president's death, even if demanded.
Trump posted on his social media website Saturday that Iran had threatened to assassinate him. He claimed 1,000 “missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands more to immediately follow.” Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, responded hours later. He stated 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 this year. His son declared retaliation “is the will of our nation and must certainly be carried out.” He pledged, “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.”
Profits of War and Imperial Maintenance
The White House did not immediately answer questions about Trump’s military orders. During recent funeral events, mourners in Iran repeatedly held posters calling for the deaths of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Israel alerted U.S. officials to fresh Iranian plots against Trump. Sabrina Singh, former Biden administration deputy Pentagon press secretary, confirmed, “Iran wanting to target senior American leaders is something that we know is happening.” She added, “You have to take these as credible threats.”
Trump was targeted in two domestic assassination attempts two years ago during the 2024 presidential campaign. A gunman also stormed the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner he attended in April. This week, the president flew back to Washington from Turkey on an older Air Force One jet. This decision raised security questions about a new Qatari-gifted aircraft, retrofitted at an estimated cost of $400 million, which reportedly lacks some missile detection and countermeasure systems of earlier versions.
This swap occurred as the U.S. and Iran resumed trading strikes. This jeopardized last month’s initial deal to end the war. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, “I’m No. 1 on their list.”
Continuity of Imperial Policy
Graff explained that the U.S. prepared years of plans for nuclear launch authority devolution during the Cold War. This included airborne command posts flying 24 hours a day for 30 years, with a general ready to take over nuclear launch orders. Trump's suggested standing orders to attack if he's killed would mean the Pentagon proceeds with standard launch protocols. Graff doubts the legality of such orders, as nuclear launch authority immediately passes to the vice president or designated successor.
Trump’s social media post referred only to firing missiles at Iran, which the U.S. has done scores of times since the war began. He did not expressly threaten nuclear weapons. Graff noted that Trump could legally tell Vance, “If I’m killed, nuke Iran.”
This isn't the first time Washington has threatened Iran over threats against Trump. Four years ago, the Biden administration warned Iran against attacking U.S. citizens after the Justice Department revealed a plan to assassinate John Bolton, Trump’s first-term national security adviser. Two years later, during Trump’s campaign against Kamala Harris, the Biden administration again quietly warned Iran. Officials made clear that an attack on Trump would be considered an act of war, demonstrating the bipartisan commitment to projecting imperial power and protecting ruling-class figures.