Trump Warns Iran: If a Senior US Official Is Killed, "They Will Not Exist Very Long Any Longer"
President Donald Trump warned Iran in a phone interview with conservative host Hugh Hewitt on Salem News Channel on November 12 that if Iran kills a senior American official, those responsible "will not exist very long any longer." He also said he would not hesitate to use military force against Iran again if the situation turned unfavourable, and that it would be a defeat for him if Iran's current leadership were still in power when he leaves office.
Hewitt put the question using Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as an example: what would the United States do if the Iranians killed a senior American official. Trump replied: "They will not exist very long any longer." Earlier this week, Bessent moved into a military base after receiving Iran-related death threats.
Asked whether he would hesitate to use military force to stop Iran from threatening US allies and ships, Trump said, "No hesitation," adding that if he saw things going the other way he would strike again, and that "it's possible I would do it right now." Pressed on resuming full combat operations to destroy what remains of Iran's industrial base and the underground site known as Pickaxe Mountain, he said, "It could happen." He also claimed the United States totally controls the Strait of Hormuz, declared that Iran's regime is collapsing, and said the naval blockade of Iran would be kept in place even if it took 26 months to bring the regime down.
Asked whether it would be a defeat if Iran's current leaders were still ruling when his presidency ends, Trump said: "Yes, that would be a defeat. Yep, I would say that would be a defeat. Absolutely." The remarks were notably harder than his line earlier in the week: on Monday he told reporters at the White House that military action against Iran "won't be necessary," and on Thursday morning he posted on Truth Social that the United States does not need a deal with Iran. A transcript of the roughly 42-minute interview was published the same day on Hewitt's programme website; in the same interview, Trump also spoke about resolving the Cuba issue before he leaves office.
Related: Trump says the US does not need a deal with Iran as oil prices jump more than 1%
Treasury Secretary Bessent moves to a military base after Iran-related death threats
(Source: Salem News Channel)
Source: Salem News Channel
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：特朗普在白宫南草坪走向海军陆战队一号专机时向媒体挥手（2025年9月11日，资料图，本站特朗普官方照片池档案复用）。白宫官方照片，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: President Trump waves to the media as he walks toward Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on September 11, 2025 (file photo; GSM Trump photo pool archive reuse). Official White House photo, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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