President Donald Trump dramatically escalated tensions in the Middle East Tuesday, demanding Iran’s “unconditional surrender” and publicly claiming that the US has pinpointed the location of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but is choosing not to assassinate him — “at least not for now.”
The chilling threats were posted on Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social, where he warned Iran’s leaders that American patience is “wearing thin” and declared complete control over Iranian airspace. These statements mark a significant turn in US strategy, combining both hardline deterrence and symbolic restraint.
“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there — we are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,” Trump wrote.
“But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers.”
Just minutes later, he posted again:
“UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”
A Strategic Pivot Toward Open Threats
Trump’s remarks come amid a five-day conflict between Israel and Iran, during which Israel has launched intense strikes across Iranian territory, including key military and nuclear facilities. While Trump previously resisted deeper involvement, these new statements signal a shift — from diplomatic ambiguity to open coercion.
Earlier in the day, Trump cut short his trip to the G7 Summit in Canada to return to Washington, where he convened an emergency meeting with the National Security Council. His focus: whether to take a more direct military role in aiding Israel or pursue a high-stakes negotiation.
“They should have done the deal. I told them, ‘Do the deal,’” Trump told reporters on Air Force One.
“I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate.”
Assassination Plan Rejected
According to sources speaking anonymously to AP, Trump rejected an Israeli proposal to assassinate Khamenei in the early days of the conflict, fearing such a move could destabilize the region further. Despite that rejection, Trump’s public statement now shows he is willing to make Khamenei a visible target — if not yet a military one.
Meanwhile, Trump has reiterated that Iran’s nuclear ambitions must be dismantled “one way or another.” He continues to claim that Iran was close to obtaining a nuclear weapon — despite US intelligence assessments that say otherwise.
National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard told Congress earlier this year that Iran was not actively building a bomb.
Trump responded: “I don’t care what she said… I think they were very close.”
Strategic Calculations and Bunker Buster Leverage
A key element in Trump’s strategic play is the US possession of the 30,000-pound GBU-57 bunker-busting bomb, capable of destroying deeply buried facilities like Iran’s Fordow uranium enrichment site — which Israel has so far been unable to take out.
“Trump thinks in terms of leverage — and bunker busters are leverage,” a senior US official said.
Israel’s military claims to have weakened Iran’s air defenses significantly, opening the door for potential strikes on remaining nuclear sites. But without access to the US’s heavy ordnance and B-2 stealth bombers, Israel cannot act alone.
Diplomacy Still in Play?
Despite his aggressive rhetoric, Trump has not ruled out talks. He hinted at possibly sending Vice President JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with Iranian officials — though he expressed deep frustration over Iran’s refusal to reach a deal so far.
Macron confirmed the US has floated a potential meeting proposal during the G7.
“I think a deal will be signed. I think Iran is foolish not to sign one,” Trump said.
MAGA Divide Grows
Trump’s hawkish tone has begun to fracture parts of his MAGA base. High-profile allies like Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon, and Marjorie Taylor Greene have warned against dragging the US into another Middle Eastern war. Trump snapped back online:
“Somebody please explain to kooky Tucker Carlson that IRAN CANNOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!”
Meanwhile, Congress is pushing back. A bipartisan resolution introduced by Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna calls on Trump to seek formal authorization before deploying US forces against Iran.
What’s Next?
With US forces repositioned in the region, and military assets on standby, Trump now faces a pivotal decision:
Will he continue leveraging pressure to force Iran into a deal — or give Israel the green light to finish what it started, with full US backing?
Iran, for its part, has offered vague signals of possible de-escalation — but not yet surrendered.
As Trump put it:
“We’ll see if they want to have a country… or not.”
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