Trump says Iran's Supreme Leader is an 'easy target'

Daily Mail​

4 hours ago

President Donald Trump brandished an online threat to Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying the U.S. knows his precise location and even calling him an 'easy target.' The president made the stunning pronouncement online hours after returning from G7 meetings in Canada to meet with top security advisors in the White House Situation Room, raising chatter about an expanded war between Israel and Iran.
'We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding,' Trump posted on Truth Social. '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. Thank you for your attention to this matter!' That came moments after another post where Trump also used the term 'we' to describe the security situation over Iran, amid a massive four-day bombing campaign by Israel using American-made weaponry.
'We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran . Iran had good sky trackers and other defensive equipment, and plenty of it, but it doesn't compare to American made, conceived, and manufactured 'stuff.' Nobody does it better than the good ol' USA,' Trump wrote. In yet another post, Trump wrote simply in all-caps: 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!' That was the ultimatum that the allies imposed on Nazi Germany and Japan during World War II.
It came amid speculation about whether the U.S. would intervene to help Israel take out Iran's nuclear facilities that are buried deep under ground, with the help of 'bunker buster' munitions. His chilling online threats came came hours after Trump blasted French President Emmanuel Macron for having suggested he had put forward a ceasefire plan for the conflict.
Trump said the reality was the opposite. But when pressed by the Daily Mail, Trump didn't name any new steps the U.S. was taking to help Isreal as it battles the Islamic Republic. 'An end. A real end. Not a cease fire. An end,' he said. 'I'm not looking at ceasefire. We're looking at better than cease fire,' Trump told reporters on Air Force One. He was blunt in his assessment on Iran's nuclear program.
'Remember, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. It's very simple. Not to go too deep into it, but they just can't have a nuclear weapon. He also predicted Isreal wouldn't let up. 'You're going to find out over the next two days. You're going to find out. Nobody's slowed up so far,' he said.
President Trump said early Tuesday morning that he wants "a real end" to Iran's nuclear problem, with Tehran "giving up entirely" its enrichment activities. He said he was not just working toward a ceasefire to end the war between Iran and Israel, which has claimed at least two dozen lives in Israel and hundreds in Iran as it enters its fifth day. 'I didn't say I was looking for a ceasefire,' Mr. Trump told reporters on Air Force One after cutting short his time at the G7 summit in Canada.
'They just can't have a nuclear weapon,' Trump said of Iran. That doesn't mean there aren't plenty of options at his disposal. With 'complete' control over Iran's skies, the U.S. could assist Isreal's bombing campaign, perhaps even by dropping a 'bunker buster' munition from one of its fleet of bombers capable of carrying them. Trump on Sunday said it was 'possible' the U.S. would get involved in the conflict.
'We're not involved in it. It's possible we could get involved. But we are not at this moment involved,' Trump told ABC. There were multiple reports this weekend that Trump had nixed an Israeli request to take out Ayatollah Khamenei. In his comments to reporters Trump declined to confirm any new threat to U.S. troops or facilities. 'We have great people that know how to protect themselves... We'll come down so hard if they do anything to our people.'