On June 17, President Donald Trump issued a statement declaring that the United States knows the precise whereabouts of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, described him as “an easy target,” and noted that the United States would not “take him out (kill!)” — at least not for now. He coupled that assertion with a demand for Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” written in all caps. This statement may appear rhetorical or performative, but its implications deserve serious scrutiny. In just a few sentences, the president introduced an unusual degree of personal threat into a longstanding geopolitical rivalry and raised questions about how US adversaries might interpret American intentions. Such language carries risks that cannot be dismissed as merely symbolic.
On Iran, US restraint could reduce risks | Middle East Institute
