President Donald Trump has suggested that he has left standing orders for the U.S. military to destroy Iran if Tehran follows through on its threats to kill him. However, the U.S. government has no way to create an automatic, preauthorized ‘dead man’s switch’ that would prompt immediate retaliation.

Transfer of Power

Instead, if Trump were killed, the transfer of power to his successor is governed by the 25th Amendment and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. Vice President JD Vance would instantaneously become commander in chief and have authority for any retaliation.

Under such a scenario, Vance could do exactly what Trump called for, though there also is a chance he could decide not to follow his predecessor’s orders — or offer a direct response in a different way. The United States does have extensive contingency plans for continuity of government in the event of a nuclear attack or other major catastrophe that wipes out most or all of Washington.

Iran’s Threats

Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said that Iranians would continue to avenge the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The elder Khamenei died in the initial U.S. and Israeli strikes that started the war in late February, and he was mourned in funeral events throughout Iran this week.

Trump posted on his social media website that Iran had made threats ‘to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate’ him and he said 1,000 ‘missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat.’

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.