President Donald Trump said Monday, Oct. 12, that the United States and Israel "might have gone too far" with the killing of Iranian leaders, suggesting the campaign had complicated negotiations with the Islamic Republic, according to a report by Dave DeCamp published by Antiwar.com on Tuesday, Oct. 13. [1]
Trump made the comments at a campaign rally in Youngstown, Ohio on Monday while repeating his usual claims about the state of Iran, the report said. The remarks marked a notable public acknowledgment from the president that the decapitation campaign against Iran's leadership may have created as many problems as it solved. According to the report, Trump's statement indicated that the killings were complicating negotiations with Tehran at a moment when Washington is seeking an end to the conflict that began in late February. [1]
Trump Cites Difficulty Identifying Iranian Counterparts
In the same address, Trump said that finding a credible Iranian counterpart for talks had become a central obstacle. The report stated that Trump appeared to confuse the role of president with that of supreme leader.
Masoud Pezeshkian has been Iran's president since July 2024 and recently traveled to New York City for the UN General Assembly, where he delivered a defiant speech, according to the report. Pezeshkian survived an Israeli strike during the 12-Day War in June 2025, but it does not appear that he was targeted in the current conflict, the report said.
The confusion underscored the broader difficulty facing Washington. Separate reports have described an administration struggling to identify a negotiating partner in Tehran. According to Middle East Eye, Trump said during the same Ohio rally that Iran wants to reach a deal with Washington but claims "they don't know how to," adding that the country is "the No. 1 state sponsor of terror" [2].
Opening Strikes Killed Supreme Leader Khamenei; Son Replaced Him
The opening U.S. and Israeli strikes killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several members of his family, including his 14-month-old granddaughter, according to the report. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, has replaced him, though he has not made a public appearance since taking the role, the report stated.
Trump's remarks suggested the leadership changes have made it harder to determine whom to deal with in negotiations, according to the report. A senior Iranian commander had warned the U.S. and Israel against carrying out any attacks during the upcoming funeral processions for Ali, who was killed in a U.S.-Israeli airstrike on Feb. 28, according to a July 2026 report [3].
The succession has left U.S. officials without a clear channel to Tehran. According to Just the News, fighting began in late February with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that killed the elder Khamenei [4].
Remarks Made at Ohio Rally for Republican Candidates
Trump made the comments at a campaign rally for U.S. Senator Jon Husted (R-OH) and gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy in Youngstown, Ohio, according to a Reuters photo caption dated Oct. 12. While repeating his usual claims about the state of Iran, Trump said the country has "no ships" and "no nothing."
The report stated that Trump's remarks indicate uncertainty over how to proceed with negotiations amid the leadership vacuum. No new policy change was announced in the report, and the comments were presented as Trump's own assessment at the rally.
The Ohio stop was one of several campaign appearances by the president in the weeks before the November midterm elections. According to the Epoch Times, Trump took the stage in Alaska on Tuesday night, restating his claim that he would give $5,000 to every adult citizen in the U.S. if the Republican Party kept control of the U.S. House and Senate after the Nov. 3 elections. Trump spoke for 90 minutes in the small city of Wasilla to campaign for Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) [5].
Comments Highlight Challenges in Iran Policy
Trump's statement that the U.S. and Israel "might have gone too far" marks a notable acknowledgment of possible overreach, according to the report. The remarks were made as the U.S. continues to face questions about who represents Iran in any negotiations. The report did not include any response from Iranian officials to Trump's comments.
The president has given shifting and sometimes conflicting reasons for striking Iran, even as he claims the mission a total success, according to the Associated Press [6]. The public assessment of the war has moved through several stages, from projections of a quick end and falling oil prices to declarations of victory and warnings of annihilation.
During a Fox News interview in September, the host asked Trump if he had any regrets about Iran. Trump replied that he would make the same decisions all over again if he had a chance.
References
- Trump Says ‘We Might Have Gone Too Far’ With Killing Iran’s Leaders. https://news.antiwar.com/2026/10/13/trump-says-we-might-have-gone-too-far-with-killing-irans-leaders/
- Trump says Iran wants deal with US but 'don’t know how to'. https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/trump-says-iran-wants-deal-us-dont-know-how
- Iranian Commander Warns U.S., Israel Against Attacks as Khamenei Funeral Preparations Underway - NaturalNews.com, July 05, 2026. by NaturalNews.com
- Trump says U.S. won't attack Iran prior to midterms. https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/trump-says-us-wont-attack-iran-prior-midterms?utm_source=justthenews.com&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=external-news-aggregators
- Trump Campaigns in Alaska, Signs Pardons, Promises Checks If GOP Wins Midterm Elections. https://theepochtimes.com/us/trump-campaigns-in-alaska-signs-pardons-promises-checks-if-gop-wins-midterm-elections-6103330
- How Trump's statements on Iran have changed since June's bombings | AP News. https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-vance-iran-nuclear-strikes-5357243212b4b8bbd387ae91ca797325
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