Former President Donald Trump has made a statement in North Carolina asserting that if he were president and Iran threatened a former president or a leading presidential candidate, he would respond by threatening to destroy Iran's largest cities and the country itself. Trump's comments were made in the context of perceived threats from Iran against U.S. officials, which were highlighted by American intelligence. He emphasized that any attack on a former president or presidential candidate would result in severe retaliation against Iran, effectively neutralizing the threat.