US President Donald Trump said that he “got him before he got me,” in reference to what US intelligence believes was a 2024 plot to assassinate him, allegedly linked to Iran.
The Monday, March 2, remarks were posted on X by ABC News journalist Jonathan Karl following what he described as a phone call with Trump.
“In another phone call this evening, President Trump told me this about the death of Ayatollah Khamenei: ‘I got him before he got me. They tried twice. Well I got him first,’” Karl wrote.
Karl added that the statement was “a reference to what US intelligence believes was a plot to kill Trump in 2024.”
US intelligence agencies have previously said they were investigating threats allegedly connected to Iran during the 2024 presidential campaign. Tehran has denied involvement in any assassination attempts targeting US officials.
The comments come days after large-scale US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.
Israel said it launched an operation called “Roar of the Lion,” while the US described its involvement as “Epic Fury.” Explosions were reported in Tehran and several other major Iranian cities.
Iranian state media confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on the morning of Feb. 28 as a result of the strikes. Satellite imagery reviewed by multiple media outlets showed that Khamenei’s palace compound in Tehran was destroyed.
Iranian outlets also confirmed the deaths of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Mohammad Pakpour and senior security adviser Ali Shamkhani, according to the state news agency IRNA.
The strikes reportedly targeted military and nuclear facilities, as well as residences linked to senior Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian.
In response, Iran launched ballistic missiles toward Israel. Iranian missiles were also reported targeting Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, with reports of strikes near US military bases in the region.
Iranian officials said Tehran would not enter negotiations under military pressure and warned of continued retaliation.
Israel Defense Forces officials have indicated that operations could expand toward Lebanon if attacks by Iran-backed groups persist, raising the prospect of a broader regional confrontation.