In a recent interview, President Donald Trump issued a severe warning to Iran, stating that the country would face destruction if its government continued to threaten him. This statement heightens the existing tensions between Washington and Tehran during a period of increasing regional instability.
Trump, speaking from the Oval Office at the White House on Katie Pavlich Tonight on NewsNation, made it clear that Iran would be blown up if anything happens to him. He described this as a firm military response plan already in place. The interview aired on Tuesday, January 20, at 10 p.m. EST.
These remarks are some of the most explicit threats the president has made against the Islamic Republic since his return to office.
Katie Pavlich, a conservative commentator who started Katie Pavlich Tonight on Monday, managed to secure this high-profile interview shortly after launching her show. Pavlich, previously a Fox News contributor for over a decade, where she had made appearances on programs with Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and The Five, left the network for NewsNation.
The warnings from Trump are set against a backdrop of long-standing hostility between Washington and Tehran, partly rooted in the 2020 killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani. The strike, ordered during Trump’s first term, continues to echo in U.S.-Iran relations, with Iranian officials consistently promising revenge for the general’s death.
Within US borders, threats against Trump have taken various forms. In July 2024, an assassination attempt was made at a Trump campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Later that year, on September 15, an incident involving an armed suspect occurred at Trump’s Florida golf course. While U.S. intelligence agencies have stated that Iranian threats against the president and other American officials continue, there has been no public confirmation of direct Iranian involvement in these specific incidents.
In the interview, Trump criticized former President Joe Biden’s approach toward Iranian threats, suggesting that Biden had not responded strongly enough to Tehran’s hostile rhetoric.
Iranian leaders have also issued warnings recently. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have both indicated that an attack on Iran’s leadership would result in a massive response. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that a U.S. military operation would not be met with restraint, citing the 12-day Iran-Israel war in June 2025 as a demonstration of Iran’s ability to sustain conflict.
The conflict between Iran and Israel in June marked a notable escalation in Middle Eastern tensions, bringing in regional powers and leading the United States to deploy an aircraft carrier to the area. This deployment highlighted Washington’s ongoing military presence in the region and its readiness to respond to threats against its interests and allies.
When questioned about protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota related to Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, Trump stated he was not prepared yet to invoke the Insurrection Act. His comments followed the ICE-involved fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good on Jan. 7, which sparked widespread demonstrations and renewed scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement tactics.
Trump implied that the Insurrection Act remained an option for future use, suggesting it might be invoked at some point. This law allows presidents to deploy military forces domestically to suppress civil disorder, rebellion, or insurrection. Its use would mark a significant escalation in the federal response to domestic unrest and has historically been reserved for extraordinary circumstances.
During the wide-ranging conversation, Trump also criticized former CNN star Don Lemon and Rep. Ilhan Omar. The interview format allowed Trump to present his administration’s positions to viewers without the mediation of traditional news conferences or official White House statements.
For Pavlich, the Trump interview marked an important early success for her program. After leaving Fox News, where she had fostered relationships with conservative audiences and Republican officials, securing a presidential interview in her first week at NewsNation demonstrated her continued access to top-level newsmakers. The network has positioned itself as an alternative to established cable news outlets.
The intensifying rhetoric between Washington and Tehran raises questions about whether either side intends to act on its threats or if the public warnings primarily serve as a deterrent. Both governments face domestic political pressures to appear strong while avoiding a direct military confrontation that could escalate into a wider regional war.
Trump’s approach to Iran appears to mirror the maximum pressure campaign he implemented during his first presidency, combining economic sanctions, diplomatic isolation, and the threat of military force. Whether this strategy will be more effective in restraining Iranian behavior than previous approaches is uncertain, particularly considering Tehran’s demonstrated willingness to engage in proxy conflicts and its continued development of regional influence.
