Trump demands Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender’, warns Khamenei as conflict with Israel deepens

President Donald Trump on Tuesday intensified his rhetoric against Iran amid escalating hostilities with Israel, declaring that the United States knows the exact location of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but is refraining from targeting him “for now.”

In a provocative social media post, Trump warned that U.S. patience was “wearing thin” and called for Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” as the conflict entered its fifth day.

“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” Trump wrote. “He is an easy target, but is safe there — We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians or American soldiers.”

The remarks came after Trump abruptly left the G7 summit in the Canadian Rockies to return to Washington for emergency consultations with his national security team. In a dramatic move over the weekend, Trump also urged the 9.5 million residents of Tehran to “evacuate immediately,” raising international alarm.

According to a senior U.S. official speaking anonymously, Trump previously rejected an Israeli proposal to assassinate Khamenei in the early stages of the conflict, citing concerns about further regional destabilization.

The Israeli government had reportedly developed a “credible plan” for the operation, which was ultimately declined by the White House.

READ ALSO: Foreign nationals flee Iran amid escalating Israel-Iran conflict

Back in Washington, Trump is now facing a pivotal decision in his presidency. Israel has conducted a sustained five-day aerial offensive that has devastated Iranian military and nuclear targets.

Israeli officials believe they are close to delivering a crippling blow to Iran’s nuclear program — if supported by direct U.S. military assistance.

One such support option includes the transfer of the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator — a 30,000-pound bunker-busting bomb — which Israel currently lacks the capacity to deploy. Destroying Iran’s deeply buried Fordo uranium enrichment facility would likely require such capabilities.

While signaling readiness for a stronger U.S. role, Trump also expressed dissatisfaction with Iran’s refusal to strike a diplomatic agreement. “They should have done the deal. I told them, ‘Do the deal,’” Trump said aboard Air Force One. “I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate.”

Despite Iranian claims that its nuclear ambitions are strictly peaceful, Trump dismissed intelligence reports to the contrary, including testimony from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. “I don’t care what she said,” he remarked. “I think they were very close to having it.”

Gabbard later downplayed the contradiction, blaming media distortion and affirming that Trump was reiterating her point with different words.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military is reinforcing its presence in the region, repositioning warships and aircraft as a contingency measure.

The State Department has also created a task force to assist the estimated 700,000 Americans in Israel and the broader Middle East, although no mass evacuations have been announced.

Trump has not ruled out diplomacy, suggesting that Vice President JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff may engage Iranian officials if conditions allow.

But the possibility of expanded U.S. engagement is generating fierce debate within Trump’s political base. Prominent MAGA figures like Tucker Carlson, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk have criticized any move that could entangle the U.S. in another foreign war — especially after Trump campaigned on ending U.S. involvement in global conflicts.