@bbcpersian

🔻Special plane change for the president due to the threat of an Iranian attack; Trump hid in a food truck

“Before he could hit me, I hit him. They tried twice. Well, I hit him first.” This was what Donald Trump, the President of the United States, said in a phone conversation in February 2026, a day after the start of the U.S. military campaign against Iran, to Jonathan Karl, a reporter for ABC News.

The Israeli airstrike, carried out with U.S. approval and coordination, killed Ali Khamenei and other top leaders of the Islamic Republic. Between that attack and the threats and alleged plots from Iran’s government over the past years against him, Trump made a direct link.

During the six months of war that followed, Trump did not make similar comments. But Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, echoed the same view. In March 2026, he said: “Iran attempted to assassinate President Trump, but the final winner was President Trump.” He also indicated that an Iranian whose name was not mentioned and, according to him, led a terror unit, was killed in U.S. attacks.

These remarks point to personal animosity behind this war and reflect the concerns of the president and his security team about the danger Iran continues to pose to his security.