President Donald Trump made a macabre comment to a female reporter on Air Force One, hours after resuming his war on Iran.
Trump, 80, performed an unusual plane-swap game as he left the NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday, flying out of Turkey in an old Air Force One before landing in the U.K. and resuming the journey home in the $400 million jet gifted him by the Qatari government.
Sources later claimed Trump was put on the older plane for the initial flight due to it having better security features than his new jet, with his safety deemed a pressing issue after the U.S. launched more strikes on Iran, which shares a border with Turkey.
The president was questioned about the jet swap on the way back to the U.S. by a female reporter who asked him if he was aware of any “credible threat” by Iran to Air Force One.
“Well, I have a threat all the time,” Trump responded. “I’m number one on their list, before you. But if I go, you go, right?”
The journalist said, “Hmmm,” before continuing, “But was there a specific...?”
Trump cut her off, joking, “Perhaps someday you want to change professions,” before asking a male reporter for a different question.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House for comment.
Earlier in the day, Trump claimed he was Iran’s “number one target,” saying it was because “they’re scum.”
“The life of a president is very dangerous,” he said. “It’s a very dangerous profession. I’m number one on the kill list for Iran. ”
During the Air Force One press gaggle on his trip home, Trump bragged about the damage U.S. troops had inflicted in Iran.
“I say we hit him 20 to 1,” Trump said. “Every time they hit us we’re going to hit them 20 [times].”
He repeated his standard line, saying, “We have many ways we can win, but we’ve already won militarily. They have very little. They have very little left. And they want to make a deal so badly.”
Trump was then asked if Iran wanted to make a deal, why they attacked commercial vessels.
The question related to the U.S. attacking Iran this week after what Central Command called “unwarranted, dangerous” Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels in the strait of Hormuz.
Trump said of Iran, “They’re sort of crazy to be honest with you. They’re sort of crazy. They’re a little bit out of control, but they want to make a deal badly.”
During an interview on CNN with Elex Michaelson on Wednesday, NPR reporter Arezou Rezvani said Trump’s war had allowed Iran to realize the global power they have over controlling access to the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow shipping lane through which about one-fifth of world oil production passes.
“For years, people in the government, hardliners have talked about controlling the strait in very theoretical terms, very aspirational terms,” she said.
“And once the U.S. and Israel launched their war, they got a chance to shoot their shot. And they quickly realized that they have an incredible tool for leverage in controlling the Strait of Hormuz.”
Rezvani added, “They quickly discovered that in controlling the strait, they had an ability to go up against the most formidable military power in the world. So it‘s not something that they‘re readily going to give up.”
Political scientist Benjamin Radd told CNN the resumption of the war could impact Trump politically.
“He has to find a solution that does not involve losing more than the U.S. started with, which is control of the strait,” Radd said. “And the Iranians know this, and they know that this is a pressure point. They know, with the midterm elections coming up, there‘s a lot of sensitivity. So they‘re pushing that.”
