According to a video posted on CBN News, on Saturday June 20, 2026, President Donald Trump claimed responsibility for the deaths of several senior Iranian figures, including military commander Qasem Soleimani and the country’s top religious leader, during remarks made to Axios News.
Trump made the statements while contrasting his administration’s approach to Iran with that of his predecessor.
Trump said that previous diplomatic efforts failed to target Iran’s leadership structure directly, whereas his administration took action against key figures he considered responsible for regional instability.
He specifically referenced the killing of Soleimani, which occurred during his first term, as well as the death of Iran’s supreme leader during the more recent conflict.
“He didn’t do anything to Soleimani. I killed Soleimani… And you killed the Ayatollah. And I killed the Ayatollah. And a number of IRGC officials.”
The president also addressed the injury of another senior religious figure during the conflict, stating that he had not personally met or spoken with the individual but was aware of the situation through other channels.
He described the targeting of Iran’s leadership as part of a broader strategy to dismantle the country’s command structure, alongside the destruction of its military hardware.
Trump suggested that the removal of senior leadership figures contributed to what he described as a leadership vacuum within Iran, with newer officials now occupying positions previously held by those killed during the conflict.
He characterized this newer group as potentially less radicalized than their predecessors, though he stopped short of predicting how Iran’s internal politics might evolve going forward.
