President Donald Trump escalated his rhetoric toward Iran on Tuesday, demanding “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” and warning that the U.S. knows the whereabouts of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei but is “not going to take him out — for now.”
In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump asserted that the U.S. controls Iranian airspace and warned that American patience is “wearing thin” amid Iran’s refusal to dismantle its nuclear program. “We’re looking for better than a ceasefire,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One. “An end. A real end… or giving up entirely.”
Trump claimed Iran’s defenses are no match for U.S.-made technology and criticized Iran’s uranium enrichment as a violation of international obligations. He rejected French President Emmanuel Macron’s claim that the U.S. is pursuing a ceasefire, stating bluntly, “Macron… doesn’t get it right too often.”
Despite the heated rhetoric, Trump did not rule out diplomacy, saying he might send Vice President J.D. Vance and envoy Steve Witkoff to talk with Iranian officials, depending on the situation upon his return to Washington.
Vance defended Trump’s stance, explaining that while diplomacy was tried, Iran rejected a deal allowing civilian nuclear power without enrichment. “They’ve enriched uranium to weapons-grade levels,” Vance wrote on X, warning that further action may be necessary to end the threat.
While the Pentagon insists current U.S. deployments are defensive, Trump’s shift in tone and potential for increased military action raise concerns within both the international community and segments of his Republican base, wary of deepening U.S. entanglement.
The standoff comes as Israel intensifies strikes on Iran, hoping for decisive American support to permanently cripple Tehran’s nuclear capabilities — a move that risks broader conflict across the region.
