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Trump Warns Iran's Ayatollah to Be 'Very Worried'
Rising tensions between U.S. and Iran prompt strong words from former president.
Published on Feb. 4, 2026
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Former President Donald Trump warned Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that he should be "very worried" amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Trump claimed the U.S. had previously "wiped out" Iran's nuclear facilities and threatened further action if Iran tried to restart its nuclear program.
Why it matters
The warning from the former president comes as relations between the U.S. and Iran have grown increasingly strained in recent weeks, with the U.S. bolstering its military presence in the region and the two sides scheduled to meet to discuss Iran's nuclear program.
The details
In an interview, Trump said the U.S. had previously "wiped out" Iran's nuclear facilities in an operation he called "Operation Midnight Hammer." He claimed Iran had tried to restart its nuclear program at a different site, prompting a threat from Trump that the U.S. would "do very bad things" if they proceeded. Trump also said the U.S. had established a substantial military presence near Iran, including the arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group.
- On Wednesday, Trump issued the warning to Ayatollah Khamenei in an interview.
- On Tuesday, the White House confirmed that U.S. forces had shot down an Iranian drone that "aggressively approached" the USS Abraham Lincoln.
The players
Donald Trump
The former president of the United States who issued the warning to Iran's supreme leader.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
The supreme leader of Iran, who Trump warned should be "very worried."
USS Abraham Lincoln
The U.S. aircraft carrier whose presence in the region has been bolstered as part of the increased military presence near Iran.
What they’re saying
“I would say he should be very worried, yeah. He should be.”
— Donald Trump, Former President (NBC Nightly News)
“We went in, we wiped out their nuclear. If I didn't take out their nuclear, think of it, if we didn't take out that nuclear, we wouldn't have peace in the Middle East because the Arab countries could have never done that.”
— Donald Trump, Former President (NBC Nightly News)
What’s next
Officials from the U.S. and Iran are scheduled to meet in Oman on Friday to discuss Iran's nuclear program, as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate.
The takeaway
The former president's strong rhetoric towards Iran's leadership underscores the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, raising concerns about the potential for further military confrontation in the region.
