Trump has a selection as Israel appears for extra US assist vs. Iran
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WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump stated Tuesday the U.S. is aware of the place Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is hiding throughout the Israel-Iran battle however doesn’t need him killed “for now.”
Trump urged, in a social media posting, Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” because the five-day battle continues to escalate.
“We all know precisely the place the so-called ‘Supreme Chief’ is hiding,” Trump added. “He’s a simple goal, however is secure there – We’re not going to take him out (kill!), not less than not for now. However we don’t need missiles shot at civilians, or American troopers. Our persistence is sporting skinny.”
Trump’s more and more muscular feedback towards the Iranian authorities come after he urged Tehran’s 9.5 million residents to flee for his or her lives as he lower brief his go to to a global summit to return to Washington for pressing talks together with his nationwide safety group.
The feedback about Khamenei and requires give up got here shortly after Trump in a separate posting touted full management of the skies over Tehran.
Trump returned the White Home from his abbreviated go to to the Group of Seven summit within the Canadian Rockies early Tuesday at a second of selecting in his presidency. Israel, with 5 days of missile strikes, has achieved appreciable harm to Iran and believes it may possibly now deal a everlasting blow to Tehran’s nuclear program — notably if it will get a bit of extra assist from the Republican president.
However deepening American involvement, maybe by offering the Israelis with bunker-busting bombs to penetrate Iranian nuclear websites constructed deep underground or providing different direct U.S. army assist, comes with monumental political threat for Trump.
Trump, as he made his approach again to Washington, expressed frustration with Iranian leaders for failing to succeed in an settlement. He stated he was now in search of “an actual finish” to the battle and a “full give-up” of Tehran’s nuclear program.
“They need to have achieved the deal. I advised them, ‘Do the deal,’” Trump advised reporters on Air Pressure One. “So I don’t know. I’m not an excessive amount of within the temper to barter.”
Iran has insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceable functions solely, and U.S. intelligence companies have assessed that Tehran is just not actively pursuing a bomb.
Trump, who deliberate to fulfill with advisers within the State of affairs Room, seems to be regularly constructing the general public case for a extra direct American position within the battle. His shift in tone comes because the U.S. has repositioned warships and army plane within the area to reply if the battle between Israel and Iran additional escalates.
Trump made an early departure from G7
The White Home introduced Monday, whereas Trump was at the Group of Seven summit within the Canadian Rockies, that he would lower his journey brief.
“Merely acknowledged, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” he wrote on social media. “I stated it again and again! Everybody ought to instantly evacuate Tehran!”
Requested about his evacuation remark aboard Air Pressure One, Trump advised reporters: “I simply need individuals to be secure.”
“We’re higher than a ceasefire. We’re not in search of a ceasefire,” Trump stated.
Trump stated he wasn’t ruling out a diplomatic possibility and he may ship Vice President JD Vance and particular envoy Steve Witkoff to fulfill with the Iranians.
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters whereas flying aboard Air Pressure One en route from Calgary, Canada to Joint Base Andrews, Md., late Monday, June 16, 2025. (AP Photograph/Mark Schiefelbein)
He additionally dismissed congressional testimony from Nationwide Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, who advised lawmakers in March that U.S. spy companies didn’t imagine Iran was constructing a nuclear weapon.
“I don’t care what she stated,” Trump stated. “I believe they had been very near having it.”
Hypothesis grows that Trump could also be tilting towards extra direct involvement
The Israelis say their offensive has eviscerated Iran’s air defenses they usually can now strike targets throughout the nation at will. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the Israeli bombardment will proceed till Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missiles are destroyed.
Up to now, Israel has focused a number of Iranian nuclear program websites however has not been capable of destroy Iran’s Fordo uranium enrichment facility.
The positioning is buried deep underground — and to get rid of it, Israel might have the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Large Ordnance Penetrator, which makes use of its weight and sheer kinetic drive to succeed in deeply buried targets after which explode. However Israel doesn’t have the munition or the bomber wanted to ship it — the penetrator is presently delivered by the B-2 stealth bomber.
Israel’s personal defenses stay largely intact within the face of Iran’s retaliatory strikes, however a few of Tehran’s missiles are getting via and having lethal impression.
The White Home dispatched Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth for a prime-time TV look as hypothesis grows about whether or not Trump could possibly be tilting towards extra direct U.S. involvement. Hegseth advised Fox Information Channel that “in fact” Trump wished to see a deal made to curb Iran’s nuclear program.
President Donald Trump arrives for a army parade commemorating the Military’s 250th anniversary, coinciding together with his 79th birthday in Washington, as Secretary of the Military Daniel Driscoll and Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth watch. (AP Photograph/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
“His place has not modified,” Hegseth stated. “What you’re watching in actual time is peace via power and America first. Our job is to be robust. We’re postured defensively within the area to be robust in pursuit of a peace deal. And we actually hope that’s what occurs right here.”
Trump continues to push Iran to barter on its nuclear program
Trump, in the meantime, throughout an trade with reporters on the sidelines of the G7, declined to say what it could take for the U.S. to get extra instantly concerned. As an alternative, he continued to press Iran on negotiations over its nuclear program.
“They need to discuss, and they need to discuss instantly,” Trump stated throughout a bilateral assembly with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. He added, “I’d say Iran is just not successful this struggle.”
To make sure, Trump within the days-old battle has sought to restrain Netanyahu. He rejected a plan introduced by Israel to the U.S. to kill Khamenei, in keeping with a U.S. official aware of the matter, who was not approved to touch upon the delicate matter and spoke on the situation of anonymity.
Iranian protesters chant slogans as one in all them holds up a poster of the Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an anti-Israeli gathering in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP Photograph/Vahid Salemi)
The Israelis had knowledgeable the Trump administration in latest days that they’d developed a reputable plan to kill Khamenei.
A widening schism over Iran amongst Trump’s MAGA supporters
Trump bristled when requested about a few of his MAGA devoted, together with conservative pundit Tucker Carlson, who’ve recommended that additional U.S. involvement can be a betrayal to supporters who had been drawn to his promise to finish U.S. involvement in costly and countless wars.
“Anyone please clarify to kooky Tucker Carlson that,’ IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!’” the president wrote on social media.
Different outstanding Trump supporters have additionally raised issues about how far the president ought to go in backing Israel.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Turning Level USA founder Charlie Kirk are amongst outstanding Trump World allies who’ve famous that voters backed Trump as a result of he promised to not entangle the nation in overseas clashes and to be cautious of increasing U.S. involvement within the Mideast battle.
He ran on a promise to shortly finish the wars in Gaza and Ukraine however has struggled to seek out an endgame to both.
However there are additionally Trump backers, together with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who’re making the case that that is Trump’s second to ship a decisive blow to Iran. Graham is looking for Trump to “go all-in” in backing Israel and destroying Iran’s nuclear program.
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Related Press writers Josh Boak, Tara Copp, Darlene Superville and Will Weissert contributed to this report.