Donald Trump said he was surprised to see Iranians shedding tears at Ayatollah Khamenei’s funeral, describing the scene as a sea of mourners with grief written on many faces.
Speaking with a journalist from Axios, he admitted the sight struck him and that he wondered whether people truly hated him or whether those tears were performative. He claimed that, if the United States chose to, it could wipe out the Iranian leadership gathered at that moment in one overwhelming move, but that it would show restraint so there would still be ‘someone left to negotiate with.’
While addressing the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, Mr. Trump painted a proud portrait of the nation: Americans will not let anyone take away their liberty, he insisted, calling them the bravest and finest people on Earth. He emphasized that everyone in the United States enjoys complete religious freedom, described America as a beacon of hope to the world, and vowed, ‘we will never let America fail.’
On the subject of a possible third term, he said others urge him to run but he would not, because he does not want further conflict. ‘We have achieved tremendous success during our administration,’ he declared, citing Venezuela and Iran—’we destroyed it,’ he said—and stressing that America possesses the most powerful military in the world.