America 250 Independence Day Vance

Vice President JD Vance speaks on the flight deck of the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) in the New York harbor during The International Naval Review honoring America's 250th Anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in New York.

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

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

President Donald Trump says he's ordered the U.S. military to destroy Iran if he were to be assassinated. His aim is to deter Tehran with threats of overwhelming retaliation should it try to make good on threats to kill him. But there's no automatic system that allows a president's death to trigger an immediate military response. If Trump were killed, Vice President JD Vance would become president and decide whether to retaliate. He could do so, but it wouldn't be an automatic decision. The U.S. has contingency plans for government continuity but not for immediate strikes upon a president's death.