Trump nixed Israeli plan to kill Iran's supreme leader, US official says
USA TodayMAY 31
Report: Trump Vetoes Israeli Plan to Kill Iran's Supreme Leader
Above: Demonstrators take part in anti-Israel and anti-U.S. demonstrations in response to Israeli attacks on June 14, 2025, in Tehran, Iran. Image copyright: Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
By vetoing Israel's plan to kill Iran's supreme leader, Trump understood what Israel's military planners missed — martyring Khamenei would have unleashed catastrophic regional warfare, unified Iran's fractured factions, and sanctified his hardline son's succession. Trump's restraint preserved strategic ambiguity while avoiding the trap of myth that transforms individuals into symbols of resistance.
Anti-Trump narrative
By vetoing Israel's chance to strike at the very architect of decades of terror, Trump displayed staggering short-sightedness. In shielding Khamenei, he handed survival to a regime bent on Israel's annihilation, sabotaged a rare moment of strategic clarity, and chose hesitation over history. His refusal wasn't restraint — it was failure masquerading as prudence.