As tensions continue to rise between Israel and Iran, former President Donald Trump declared that the United States knows the exact location of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but is choosing not to target him—for now. Trump made the statement during a social media post on Tuesday, calling for Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” as the conflict between the two nations stretched into its fifth day.
“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” Trump said. “He is an easy target but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin.”
These strong remarks came as Trump abruptly ended his trip to the Group of Seven (G7) summit in the Canadian Rockies, returning early to Washington for urgent national security meetings. He had already taken a hardline tone by advising the residents of Tehran—more than 9 million people—to flee the city as the violence escalated. The warning came just after Trump claimed the United States had secured full air dominance over Tehran in a separate post.
Behind the scenes, Trump had reportedly rejected a proposal by Israel to assassinate Khamenei. A U.S. official familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Israeli officials presented a credible plan to eliminate the Supreme Leader. However, Trump and his administration declined, fearing it would dramatically escalate the situation and destabilize the broader region.
US Reconsiders Its Role as Israel Seeks Knockout Blow
Trump’s return to the White House coincided with a pivotal moment in the conflict. Israel, after five days of relentless missile strikes, has caused significant damage to Iran’s infrastructure and now believes it is close to permanently degrading Tehran’s nuclear program. Israeli leaders argue that with limited assistance from the United States—such as the provision of bunker-busting bombs capable of destroying deeply buried Iranian nuclear facilities—they could end the threat for good.
However, further American involvement would bring substantial political risk to Trump. Although expressing a desire to see a “complete give-up” of Iran’s nuclear capabilities, he showed reluctance about continuing negotiations. “They should have done the deal. I told them, ‘Do the deal,'” he told reporters aboard Air Force One. “So I don’t know. I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate.”
Iran maintains that its nuclear program is strictly for peaceful energy purposes. U.S. intelligence agencies have also concluded that Tehran is not actively working to build a nuclear weapon.
Nonetheless, Trump continues to build a public case for a more direct American role. U.S. military assets—including warships and aircraft—have been repositioned in the region in case the Israel-Iran conflict further spirals. Meanwhile, the State Department has launched a special task force to assist U.S. citizens looking to leave Israel and other countries in the Middle East. Although no formal evacuations are planned, there are approximately 700,000 Americans in Israel, many of whom hold dual citizenship, as well as thousands more in other regional nations, including Iran.
