Trump says he’s “not happy” with Iran’s new supreme leader, and his warning about the future is chilling
Image by Michael Vadon, CC BY-SA 2.0.
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President Donald Trump said he is unhappy with Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who has reportedly taken over the role. Trump shared the criticism during a recent interview while discussing the broader conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States.
The comments surfaced in an interview reported by Fox News, where Trump said he does not believe the new Iranian leader “can live in peace.” His remarks come as the United States and Israel continue a joint military campaign against Iran.
Trump pointed to the ongoing operation, known as Operation Epic Fury, which he said has exceeded expectations during its early phase. The president praised the results of the campaign, saying the operation has struck thousands of targets since it began.
Trump highlights military strikes and warns about Iran’s leadership
According to U.S. Central Command, the U.S. military has carried out more than 5,000 strikes against Iranian targets since the campaign began on February 28. Trump described the scale of the operation as evidence that the joint U.S. Israeli strategy has been highly effective.
Trump said the opening strike played a key role in shaping the conflict. He claimed the first attack eliminated roughly 50% of Iran’s missile capabilities, which he argued significantly weakened Iran’s ability to respond.
“When we attacked them first, we knocked out 50% of their missiles and if we didn’t, it would have been a much harder fight,” Trump said. He added that he believed other presidents might have hesitated to take such action. The broader conflict has also fueled Iranian sleeper cell fears.
Trump also described the element of surprise as critical to the early success of the operation. He said the strikes were launched during what he called unusual “breakfast attacks,” which caught Iranian leaders off guard.
According to Trump, Iranian officials believed the United States would not attack at that time and had gathered together when the strike occurred. He argued that the timing made the operation particularly effective.
The president also said U.S. officials had received warnings about Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Trump said special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner informed him that Iranian officials claimed to have enough enriched uranium to build 11 nuclear bombs.
Trump said that claim made Iran’s position more provocative. He argued that publicly stating such capabilities only increased pressure for a military response.
Despite the ongoing conflict, Trump said there may still be room for diplomatic talks. He suggested Iranian leaders are interested in negotiations but indicated that any discussions would depend on the conditions presented.
Trump also addressed reports of a strike that allegedly hit a girls’ school. Iranian state media and UNICEF estimates claim roughly 165 to 180 people were killed, most of them schoolgirls, though the figures have not been independently verified, amid scrutiny of the girls’ school claim.
Trump said the incident remains under investigation and noted that the United States is not the only country that possesses the type of rocket believed to have been used in the strike.
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Published: Mar 11, 2026 06:45 am