Trump: 'I got him first' after Khamenei's death

Donald Trump told ABC News that he approved the attack that led to the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, linking the action to previous assassination attempts against him.

Trump stated that the assassination attempts were linked to the Revolutionary Guards and took place during the 2024 election campaign. He stated: 'I got him first, they tried twice… I got him first.'

According to federal prosecutors, in 2025, charges were revealed against individuals allegedly acting on behalf of the Revolutionary Guards who attempted to monitor and assassinate Trump. One case involved Farhad Shakeri, while another involved Asif Merchad.

Trump also linked Khamenei's death to the 2020 drone strike that killed General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad, claiming that Iran had vowed revenge.

Trump's statement underscores that the action was justified not only for national security reasons but also as a response to direct threats against him.