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President Donald Trump shut down an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in recent days, two members of the Trump administration reportedly said.
“Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership,” one senior Trump administration official told Reuters.
The two members of the Trump administration, who spoke to the outlet on condition of anonymity, added that senior U.S. officials have been in constant communication with the Israeli government in the days following Israel’s attack on Iran in an effort to halt the Islamic state’s nuclear program.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves after casting his vote for the presidential runoff election in Tehran, Iran, Friday, July 5, 2024. Iranians began voting Friday in a runoff election to replace the late President Ebrahim Raisi, killed in a helicopter crash last month, as public apathy has become pervasive in the Islamic Republic after years of economic woes, mass protests and tensions in the Middle East. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
The U.S. officials told Reuters that Israel says they had a chance to kill Khamenei, but that President Trump rejected the plan.
The Trump administration officials did not disclose if the president himself delivered the message, but said Trump has been in frequent communication with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
As – News reported, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a massive and devastating set of preemptive airstrikes on Iran’s leaders, its military, its nuclear sites, and its refineries early on Friday morning local time.
Israeli Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept missiles over Tel Aviv, Israel, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Tomer Neuberg)
Iran responded the same day with a barrage of missiles on Tel Aviv. Then on Saturday, the Islamic state struck the Arab Muslim town of Tamra, east of Israel’s port city of Haifa.
President Trump reacted to the developing conflict between Israel and Iran in a Truth Social post, saying, “I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal. I told them, in the strongest of words, to ‘just do it,’ but no matter how hard they tried, no matter how close they got, they just couldn’t get it done.”
“I told them it would be much worse than anything they know, anticipated, or were told, that the United States makes the best and most lethal military equipment anywhere in the World, BY FAR, and that Israel has a lot of it, with much more to come — And they know how to use it,” the president continued.
Trump went on to say, “Certain Iranian hardliner’s spoke bravely, but they didn’t know what was about to happen. They are all DEAD now, and it will only get worse!” adding, “Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left.”
“Two months ago I gave Iran a 60 day ultimatum to ‘make a deal.’ They should have done it! Today is day 61,” President Trump added in a follow-up Truth Social post Friday. “I told them what to do, but they just couldn’t get there. Now they have, perhaps, a second chance!”
Moreover, Israel’s morning strikes on Iran on Friday came after Trump said on Thursday that he did not want Israel to attack if a deal could be reached about Iran’s nuclear program, suggesting that it could hurt talks with the U.S., but also noting it could be helpful in a way.
On Saturday, President Trump announced he wants the war between Iran and Israel to come to an end, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed during a phone call they had that morning.
“Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal,” Trump said in a Truth Social post Sunday, adding, “We will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran,” before revealing, “Many calls and meetings now taking place.”
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for – News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
