White House counterterrorism official Sebastian Gorka revealed Wednesday that President Donald Trump has already prepared written instructions for Vice President JD Vance in the event he is assassinated — a striking disclosure that underscores the persistent security threats surrounding the president during his second term.
Speaking on the New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast with host Miranda Devine, Gorka said Trump has contingency plans in place should the unthinkable happen.
“There is a letter in the drawer in the Resolute Desk that is addressed to the vice president should something happen to him,” Gorka said during the interview.
The revelation came as Devine raised concerns about Trump’s planned diplomatic travel and the dangers posed by hostile foreign powers, particularly Communist China.
Referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Beijing’s geopolitical ambitions, Devine described Trump as the one leader standing in the way of China’s global dominance.
“So they have every reason in the world to take him out,” she said.
Gorka, however, insisted the administration has extensive security precautions in place, even if he declined to discuss specifics publicly.
“We have protocols, trust me. Not ones I can discuss, but we have protocols,” he replied.
The comments offered a rare glimpse into the extraordinary security concerns surrounding Trump after surviving multiple assassination attempts and threats over the past several years.
Trump himself has previously acknowledged taking threats against his life seriously — particularly from Iran. In January, the president revealed he had left “very firm instructions” for how the United States should respond if Tehran successfully assassinated him.
“If they did that, they would be obliterated,” Trump said at the time. “I’ve left instructions — if they do it, they get blown up. There won’t be anything left.”
Federal officials have repeatedly warned of Iranian plots targeting Trump and former administration officials following the 2020 U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.
But the most immediate threats against Trump have come on American soil.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a gunman opened fire from a nearby rooftop. One bullet grazed Trump’s ear as Secret Service agents rushed him off stage, while rallygoer Corey Comperatore was killed shielding his family from the gunfire.
The shocking attack triggered widespread scrutiny of the Secret Service and led to multiple congressional investigations into security failures surrounding the event.
Just weeks later, authorities arrested another suspect after he allegedly camped near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, armed with a rifle and tactical gear while reportedly waiting for the president.
Then in April, a separate would-be attacker allegedly attempted to breach security at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton before being intercepted by federal agents.
The repeated threats have dramatically reshaped Trump’s security posture during his second term, with officials reportedly operating under heightened protective measures both domestically and abroad.
Gorka’s disclosure about the letter to Vance adds another layer to that reality — signaling that the White House is actively preparing for worst-case scenarios even as Trump continues to project confidence publicly.
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