Trump says U.S. controls skies over Iran, won’t target Iran’s supreme leader ‘for now’
President Donald Trump said Tuesday, June 17, that “we” have control of the skies over Iran, amid growing questions about whether the United States will join Israel’s ongoing strikes against the Islamic Republic.
“We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, praising the use of U.S.-made weaponry but stopping short of directly referencing Israel. “Nobody does it better than the good ol’ USA.”
In another sharply worded post, Trump escalated his rhetoric by claiming the United States knows the whereabouts of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but will not target him — “for now.”
“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 on Truth Social.
“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!” he added.
Just minutes later, the president followed up with another message: “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”
Trump had returned early from the G7 summit in Canada late Monday, June 16, as tensions intensified between Iran and Israel, a close U.S. ally. He was scheduled to meet with top officials in the White House Situation Room on Tuesday, June 17.
While Trump has repeatedly stated that the United States is not directly involved in the conflict, he has emphasized that Iran still has the option to accept a deal to end its nuclear program — a proposal he had advanced before Israel’s military operations began.
Still, his recent remarks suggest that U.S. intervention may be increasingly likely.
Earlier Tuesday, Trump reiterated U.S. air dominance over Iran and signaled that American military readiness was high. Meanwhile, Israel — Washington’s key ally in the Middle East — had recently made similar claims of air superiority.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday night while returning from Canada, Trump said he sought “a real end, not a ceasefire” to the Iran-Israel confrontation, and warned, “I’m not in too much of a mood to negotiate.”
