U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that American intelligence services are aware of the whereabouts of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, describing him as an “easy target” but asserting that he will not be assassinated — at least, for now.
Trump made the statements via his Truth Social platform on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, amid heightened tensions in the Middle East over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran-backed forces.
In the controversial post, Trump stated:
“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.”
He further added that the decision to refrain from targeting Khamenei stems from a desire to avoid retaliatory missile strikes against American civilians and military personnel.
“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!”
In a follow-up post, Trump issued a terse and provocative message:
“Unconditional surrender.”
