Sebastian Gorka, a senior director for counterterrorism in Donald Trump’s White House, said Wednesday that the president has written a letter to Vice President JD Vance outlining exactly what should happen if he is killed by a foreign power. The letter is kept inside the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, Gorka revealed on Miranda Devine’s New York Post podcast “Pod Force One.”
Gorka's Reassurances on Safety
The revelation came after Devine pressed Gorka on whether he was concerned for the safety of Trump, who has faced multiple assassination threats, during his two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Devine argued that Trump represents “an existential threat” to China and could be targeted, potentially covertly. Gorka dismissed the idea, stating, “Absolutely not. I have no fear at all of them doing something.”
World Leaders Seek Recognition
Gorka argued that world leaders are more interested in gaining Trump’s recognition than undermining him, calling him “the most powerful individual we have seen since the likes of Eisenhower.” He added, “Everybody wants to be at the table with him — to have the state dinner, to have the recognition. The idea that you do something that undermines your recognition goes against what they wish to have.”
Trump's Past Warnings
Gorka also noted Trump’s past warnings to potential foreign adversaries. “Remember what the president said about another country trying to do that. He said, ‘There is a letter in the drawer in the Resolute Desk that is addressed to the vice president,’ should something happen to him.” In February 2025, Trump said he had instructed advisers to “obliterate” Iran if they assassinated him, although he did not appear to reference a specific letter. “I’ve left instructions — if they do it, they get obliterated, there won’t be anything left,” Trump told reporters at the time.
Language of Power
Gorka described Trump’s comments as “the language of power that nations like China, Iran and Russia understand.” “For both of those reasons, the president, in my estimation, is very safe,” he added. Devine later raised the possibility of a “sneaky” attack by China. “We have protocols, trust me,” Gorka said. “Not ones I can discuss, but we have protocols.”
