"I May Be Gone": Trump Says He's "Number One" On Iran's "Kill List"

US President Donald Trump has claimed that he is the 'number one' target of Iran's so-called 'kill list' while he defended American military action against the Islamic Republic. The US leader also appeared to threaten Iran's new Islamic regime, suggesting they could suffer the same fate as previous leaders if they continue to fight. 

"Their leaders are gone. Then they had another set of leaders. They're gone. Now they have another set of leaders. They may be gone, who knows," he said while speaking at a conference at the NATO summit in Turkey.

"And you know what? I may be gone too," Trump added. 

"Because I'm their number one target. It's out all over the place. I'm their number one target," Trump added, without providing any details about Tehran's alleged "kill list." 

NOW - Trump says Iran may kill him: "I may be gone too, because I'm their number one target."@disclosetv pic.twitter.com/bw9oCtu0zV

— Paul White Gold Eagle (@PaulGoldEagle) July 9, 2026

The US leader tried to defend American military action on Iranian targets, claiming, "I'm their number one because they're scum. That's the way they act. That's the way they have been for 47 years, but I'm doing what's right for the country. I'm doing what's right for the world."

The Kill Plot

Trump also talked about the alleged plot to kill him during his interaction with reporters aboard Air Force One, while being questioned about why he wasn't using a new presidential jet gifted by Qatar to depart from the NATO conference. Trump used his old Air Force One plane to leave Turkey after a NATO summit, sending his new Qatari-gifted jet on ahead to Britain, where he switched planes for the journey to Washington.

The US leader said on his Truth Social network he was sending the new jet to Mildenhall airbase so that service members would have a "chance to tour the aircraft."

"Everybody is so excited, and we thought that they should be the first. For old time's sake, we'll be taking the former Air Force One, from Turkey," Trump added.

But the switch from the new jet on its maiden foreign trip sparked speculation it was because its security features were lacking -- particularly as the US launched fresh strikes against Iran, which borders Turkey.

The New York Times reported that the switch was made at the request of the US Secret Service "as a security precaution."

The US newspaper, citing unnamed sources, said that the new plane lacks some capabilities of the old plane, but that the switch was not made because of a specific threat. Reporters were told to keep window shades closed in the press cabin during take-off, without explanation.

About The Plane

Qatar's royal family donated the 747-8 plane last year after Trump complained about the state of the two aging jets that have served as the US presidential plane since 1990.

The new plane was rapidly retrofitted and equipped with security features before making its first flight with Trump on July 1.

It features a new red, white, and navy blue color scheme, a change from the previous white and light blue livery.

Two brand new Boeing Air Force Ones are due to be delivered later this decade after a series of delays.

Critics have raised a host of ethical, constitutional, and security concerns about the gifting of an aircraft worth hundreds of millions of dollars by a foreign power like Qatar.