'Big threats': Trump briefed on heightened assassination threats from Iran

Former US President Donald Trump has been briefed by US intelligence officials regarding escalating threats from Iran to assassinate him, according to a statement from his presidential campaign on Tuesday. The briefing, provided by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), detailed "real and specific threats" that have reportedly intensified in recent months.

The campaign highlighted that US government agencies are actively working to protect Trump and safeguard the upcoming 2024 elections from potential disruption linked to these threats. “President Trump was briefed earlier today regarding Iranian efforts to destabilise and sow chaos in the United States by targeting him,” the statement read.

Following the briefing, Trump addressed the issue on his Truth Social platform, claiming that there are "big threats" against him originating from Iran. He further noted that past Iranian attempts had failed, but warned that they "will try again."

Iran has previously dismissed accusations of meddling in US domestic affairs, and Tehran's permanent mission to the United Nations did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. An ODNI spokesperson confirmed the briefing took place but refused to elaborate on the specifics.

The briefing comes amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran, particularly after a Pakistani national with alleged links to Iran pleaded not guilty earlier this month to charges related to a plot to assassinate an American politician. Although Trump was named as a potential target, sources familiar with the case indicated that the plot was not directly aimed at the former president.

Meanwhile, federal investigators are looking into two other incidents involving Trump — an apparent assassination attempt at his Florida golf course in September and a July shooting at a rally in Pennsylvania. There is no evidence linking either of these events to Iran.

In a separate incident, US officials revealed last week that Iranian hackers had attempted to influence the US election by sending emails containing stolen information from Trump's campaign to individuals associated with President Joe Biden's re-election efforts. Iran has denied these allegations, maintaining that Washington has a history of interference in Iranian affairs, dating back to a 1953 coup and the 2020 drone strike that killed military commander Qassem Soleimani.

The tensions come as Vice President Kamala Harris faces Trump in a closely contested race for the November 2024 elections, following Biden’s withdrawal from the race in July.