President Donald Trump fumed over Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s declaration of victory over the United States and Israel, saying it showed ingratitude after sparing him from a “very ugly” death.
Upon the conclusion of the “12 Day War” on Tuesday, following a ceasefire agreement brokered by the Trump administration, Iran, Israel, and the U.S. all declared victory. Khamenei made his own proclamation of victory on Thursday, adding that his country “delivered a hand slap to America’s face” in the process. Trump met his proclamation with an explosive post on Truth Social, questioning his legitimacy and taking credit for his survival during the war.
“Why would the so-called ‘Supreme Leader,’ Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, of the war-torn Country of Iran, say so blatantly and foolishly that he won the War with Israel, when he knows his statement is a lie, it is not so,” Trump said. “As a man of great faith, he is not supposed to lie.”
“His Country was decimated, his three evil Nuclear Sites were OBLITERATED, and I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life. I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH, and he does not have to say, ‘THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!’” he continued.
Trump provided further details of Israel’s planned retaliatory strike against Iran after an Iranian ballistic missile was fired after the ceasefire deadline, which was heavily scaled back after a hasty call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump claimed the airstrike was going to be the “biggest attack of the War, by far,” and possibly even the “final knockout!”
The president complained that his efforts since the end of the war had been only good-spirited, including discussions about removing “BITING!” sanctions to help Iran recover. He said he felt so slighted by Khamenei’s statement that he would be halting his work on sanctions relief for Tehran.
“But no, instead I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more,” he said. “Iran has to get back into the World Order flow, or things will only get worse for them. They are always so angry, hostile, and unhappy, and look at what it has gotten them — A burned out, blown up Country, with no future, a decimated Military, a horrible Economy, and DEATH all around them.”
“They have no hope, and it will only get worse! I wish the leadership of Iran would realize that you often get more with HONEY than you do with VINEGAR. PEACE!!!” Trump concluded.
Khamenei had been absent from the public for nearly a week before his Thursday proclamation of victory. He delivered his first video address, broadcast to Iran, since June 19 on Thursday, declaring victory over the U.S. and Israel, and suggesting they achieved nothing in the conflict.
“Congratulations on the victory over the fake Zionist regime,” Khamenei was quoted as saying. “The American regime entered into a direct war because it felt that if it did not enter, the Zionist regime would be completely destroyed. But it did not gain anything from this war.”
The U.S.’s intervention was unsuccessful apart from apparently saving Israel from destruction, he added, as the U.S. “achieved no gains from this war.” However, Israel and the U.S. reportedly severely damaged Iran’s nuclear and missile launching capabilities.
“The Islamic Republic was victorious and, in retaliation, delivered a hand slap to America’s face,” Khamenei said, likely referring to the launch of 14 missiles against the U.S.’s Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday.
Trump’s outburst came after days of softening his rhetoric on Iran. He sought to portray Israel and Iran almost equally in his rhetoric immediately surrounding the ceasefire, criticizing Israel for its breaking of the ceasefire and calling on God to bless Iran. He even thanked Iran for providing advanced notice of its attack against the Al Udeid Air Base.
Khamenei’s rhetoric on Thursday led to a return to Trump’s old way of speaking about the country.
Khamenei’s implication that Iran suffered little damage during the war likely struck a nerve with Trump, who has attacked others for minimizing the damage done to Tehran by the U.S. strikes against its nuclear facilities.