In a wide-ranging interview with Axios’s Marc Caputo, President Trump declared he sees “no limits” on presidential power in the aftermath of the U.S. strikes on Iran, characterized the resulting agreement as effectively “unconditional surrender” despite its non-binding terms, and revealed for the first time that the U.S. had secretly moved oil tankers out of the Persian Gulf for weeks before publicly announcing the operation. He confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio is now focused on Cuba, suggested a future operation there could echo the recent U.S. military action in Venezuela, and said he personally asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to stay out of the Iran conflict. Trump also addressed artificial intelligence policy, saying he’s watching AI company Anthropic closely after a “competitor and part owner” flagged it to his administration, and that he’s open to invoking the Defense Production Act to regulate AI if necessary. He closed by dismissing concerns about second-term political decline, touting his poll numbers, and detailing an ongoing White House renovation that includes a bulletproof, “drone-proof” ballroom. Assistance from Claude AI.
Participants
| Name | Title / Role |
|---|---|
| Donald Trump | President of the United States |
| Marc Caputo | Journalist, Axios; interviewer for “The Axios Show” |
On Power: “I Think You Have to Do It Judiciously”
Caputo opened by asking Trump the “one big thing” he’s learned about wielding power over the decade since he first became president. Trump said that having ability, or “potential,” matters more than experience — though having both is best. He pointed to the recent G7 summit in France as evidence his second term has been more effective than his first, saying he’d been told this is “a more powerful administration” than his original one. He credited part of that perception to following Joe Biden, whom he called “a disaster,” while still praising his own first term’s economic record and the creation of the Space Force, and noting that term was disrupted by COVID-19.
Asked what he’s doing differently this time around, Trump said he doesn’t consciously strategize about it — he simply focuses on getting things done, calling that approach the reason he’s won two elections.
For context: The Group of Seven (G7) is an annual summit bringing together the leaders of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan, plus the European Union, to coordinate economic and security policy. This year’s summit was hosted by France.
A Joke That Traveled the World: “I’m the Boss”
Caputo asked about a much-repeated moment from the G7 in which Trump told the assembled world leaders, “I’m the boss.” Trump said it was a joke, prompted by the visual of seven heads of state seated at a table built for 30 people, which made the open end look “like almost the perfect podium-type setup.” He named Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as one of the leaders present and said he never intended the remark to be taken seriously, expressing some surprise that it had circulated as widely as it did: “I was just being cute. Funny.”
How Trump Sizes Up World Leaders
Caputo asked Trump to define what makes a great leader, prompting a tour through several heads of state:
- Narendra Modi (India): Trump described Modi as a stabilizing figure who has led India for more than 12 years, calling him outwardly calm but “a very tough guy.” Trump named Modi, alongside Xi, as one of the two leaders he admires most. He described India as the world’s most populous country and said the U.S. now does “fair” trade with it, in contrast to what he characterized as more lopsided arrangements in the past.
- Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Brazil): When Caputo noted that Trump isn’t a fan of Brazil’s president, Trump said he doesn’t think about Lula much one way or the other, describing him as “volatile” based on a speech he’d watched.
- Xi Jinping (China): Trump called Xi “very smart” and praised their working relationship, saying he personally asked Xi to stay out of the Iran conflict and credited him with complying rather than attempting to break the U.S. naval blockade. He described Xi as businesslike — “no games” — and said he appreciates that directness.
- Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky: Asked who he admires more between the two, Trump didn’t pick a side directly. Instead, he recounted a story about the earliest days of the Russia-Ukraine war: Russian tanks advancing on Kyiv along a highway, he said, were diverted by commanders onto muddy farmland after a major rainstorm and became stuck, allowing Ukrainian forces — using U.S.-supplied Javelin anti-tank missiles — to destroy them. Trump argued that had Russian forces stayed on the highway, Kyiv could have fallen within hours, calling the diversion “a terrible mistake” on Russia’s part.
For context: Javelins are U.S.-made, shoulder-fired anti-tank missile systems. Trump has long contrasted his administration’s decision to supply Ukraine with Javelins — lethal weapons — against the Obama administration’s earlier provision of non-lethal aid, repeating a line he used again in this interview: “Trump gave him Javelins, Obama gave him sheets.”
Trump also praised Pakistan’s military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and the country’s prime minister, saying their cooperation helped resolve both the Iran conflict and an earlier India-Pakistan military crisis (more below).
Pressed by Caputo to name the weakest world leaders, Trump declined. He did single out French President Emmanuel Macron, who hosted the G7, for praise — particularly for arranging a dinner for Trump at the Palace of Versailles, which Trump called a rare honor he’d initially hesitated to accept. Trump separately said he believes Russia should be readmitted to the group as the old “G8,” suggesting the war in Ukraine might not have happened had Russia remained part of the bloc.
The Iran Conflict: Strikes, Claims, and the Path Forward
This was the interview’s longest and most detailed stretch. Caputo noted that the Iran conflict appeared to be winding down and asked what Trump had learned about the limits of presidential power. Trump said he doesn’t believe there are any.
What Trump Says the Strikes Accomplished
Trump described the military campaign in sweeping terms: the destruction of Iran’s air force (roughly 200 aircraft, by his count), its navy (159 ships), and its anti-aircraft defenses, plus a naval blockade he said no ship was able to break through.
Leadership Strikes and the Soleimani Story
Trump said he was responsible for the deaths of senior Iranian leadership, including Iran’s supreme leader, the Ayatollah, and said a second, more junior ayatollah survived but was badly wounded. He separately took credit for the 2020 killing of Qassem Soleimani, the Iranian general who led the Quds Force, calling him “the father of the roadside bomb” and attributing the vast majority of American casualties from roadside bombs in Iraq to weapons linked to Soleimani.
Trump offered new detail on that 2020 strike, saying it was originally planned as a joint operation with Israel but that Israeli officials withdrew at the last moment. He said he proceeded anyway after consulting trusted military officials, calling the resulting strike “flawless,” and contrasted his decision-making with that of Gen. Mark Milley, his former joint chiefs chairman, whom he criticized over the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Trump also said he destroyed a major Iranian bridge and most of the Kharg Island oil facility, but said he deliberately spared Iran’s oil pipelines to avoid damaging the global economy.
For context: The IRGC, or Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, is a branch of Iran’s military focused on defending the country’s clerical government; the U.S. has designated it a foreign terrorist organization. Qassem Soleimani led the IRGC’s Quds Force, its overseas operations arm, until his death in a 2020 U.S. drone strike ordered during Trump’s first term.
Has There Been “Regime Change”?
Trump argued that Iran’s current, third generation of leadership — following the deaths of earlier officials — is less “radicalized” than its predecessors, and suggested meaningful regime change has effectively taken place. Caputo pushed back, noting that the son of the late Ayatollah and a number of IRGC officials remain in place, to which Trump responded simply that they are “different people” from the prior leadership.
Why Trump Says He Stopped When He Did
Caputo asked why Trump didn’t continue strikes if Iran’s government remains intact. Trump said prolonging the bombing campaign would have forced Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz with mines and missiles, halting oil shipments for months and risking what he called a “worldwide depression” — invoking President Herbert Hoover, whose administration is associated with the onset of the Great Depression, and saying he never wants to be compared to him. He said he had “lost respect” for unnamed hardliners who pushed him to keep striking Iran, declining to name them when Caputo offered the opportunity.
For context: The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula through which roughly a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil supply passes. Closing it has long been viewed as one of Iran’s most powerful potential responses to military pressure.
A Secret Tanker Operation, Revealed
In one of the interview’s most newsworthy disclosures, Trump said that for about a month and a half before the conflict became public, the U.S. Navy escorted commercial oil tankers out of the region under cover of darkness — sometimes 20 or more ships in a single night — after disabling Iranian radar and detection systems. He said the operation went undetected until roughly a week before this interview. When Caputo noted that The New York Times had reported on a similar operation involving around 20 ships, Trump said the paper shouldn’t have published that information, calling it unpatriotic if accurate.
“Unconditional Surrender” — Or Not?
Trump had previously said he wanted Iran’s unconditional surrender. Caputo pointed out that the resulting memorandum of understanding (MOU) doesn’t read that way. Trump maintained that, given the scale of destruction to Iran’s military, the practical outcome amounts to unconditional surrender regardless of the document’s actual language.
For context: An MOU is a formal but non-binding agreement outlining terms both sides intend to follow — distinct from a treaty, which under the U.S. Constitution requires two-thirds Senate ratification.
Congress and the Path Forward
Asked whether the arrangement will need congressional approval, and whether Republican skeptics could block it, Trump said he expects it to pass, pointing to a supportive statement from Senator Lindsey Graham. He said he wouldn’t exact any political price against Republicans who vote against it. He repeatedly contrasted the outcome with the Obama administration’s 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, criticizing that deal’s $1.7 billion cash settlement with Iran and noting that Obama’s agreement was never submitted as a treaty either.
For context: The JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) was the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran, the U.S., and other world powers negotiated under President Obama. Trump withdrew the U.S. from the deal in 2018, during his first term.
Pakistan, India, and a Nuclear Near-Miss
Trump credited himself with halting a brief, intense military confrontation between India and Pakistan — both nuclear-armed states — saying Pakistan’s prime minister told him he had saved 50 million lives, and that he believes the real number could be far higher given India’s population of roughly 1.5 billion. He said 11 aircraft were shot down before the confrontation ended.
From Venezuela to Cuba: “It’s a Hopscotch”
Trump pointed to a recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela, which he said was completed in 48 minutes using 201 personnel despite facing a large, well-armed force; he said the operation was delayed roughly six days while waiting for better weather, and that a pilot was wounded during the assault. He said the U.S. is now extracting “millions of barrels” of oil from Venezuela as a result.
Asked whether a Cuba operation could follow a similar playbook, Trump said the two situations differ because Venezuela has substantial oil reserves while Cuba does not, though he noted Cuba’s appealing coastline. He said there’s no fixed timeline — “a flexible line” — but that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, whose parents emigrated from Cuba, is closely involved, and that Cuba “wants to talk very badly.” Trump pointed to his strong support within the Cuban-American community as a factor in his thinking.
Shown a map of the Western Hemisphere, Trump agreed the U.S. is becoming increasingly dominant across the region.
Israel, Netanyahu, and the Wider Region
Trump argued that without his first-term decision to withdraw from the JCPOA and his more recent decision to strike Iran’s nuclear infrastructure with B-2 bombers, Israel would no longer exist — asserting Iran had been roughly a month from a deliverable nuclear weapon and would have used it against Israel. He said missile attacks on neighboring Gulf states — Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain — during the conflict had the effect of pushing those countries closer to the U.S.
For context: The B-2 Spirit is a U.S. Air Force stealth bomber capable of carrying the GBU-57 “bunker buster” bomb, the weapon widely reported to have been used against Iran’s underground nuclear enrichment facilities.
Asked about his relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump called it good but said he has to “keep him a little bit sane.” Asked whether he can restrain Israel from striking Lebanon, Trump said yes, citing the deference he said Israeli leaders show him.
Artificial Intelligence: Anthropic, China, and the Defense Production Act
Caputo closed with a series of questions on AI. Trump called the technology potentially dangerous if misused, but emphasized its scale and promise, predicting it would accelerate medical breakthroughs by “25 years.”
Asked whether he views Anthropic — or its CEO, Dario Amodei — as a national security threat, Trump said he doesn’t consider it one currently, though he suggested concerns existed roughly a week earlier. He said he’d met Amodei at the G7, calling him “a nice guy, smart guy,” and said Anthropic “responded very responsibly” after being flagged to the administration. Trump said the referral came from “a competitor and a part owner” of Anthropic who had concerns about the company’s conduct, without naming who made the referral.
Asked whether he has the power — and the inclination — to shut Anthropic down, Trump said he doesn’t want to, citing the broader U.S. lead over China in AI development. He credited a policy allowing AI companies to build their own power plants for data centers, rather than straining the existing electrical grid, as central to maintaining that lead, saying the U.S. is “leading China by a lot.”
Asked whether he’d use the Defense Production Act to regulate AI, Trump said he has “the power to use a lot of things” and would consider it, but doesn’t believe it’s currently necessary given what he described as responsible industry behavior so far.
For context: The Defense Production Act is a Korean War-era law giving the president broad authority to direct private industry to prioritize production tied to national defense. It has been invoked in recent years for purposes ranging from infant formula shortages to semiconductor supply chains.
On France’s push at the G7 for the U.S. to share more AI capability internationally, Trump pushed back, arguing that “almost all” of the world’s leading AI companies are based in the U.S. or China, with the first European AI company ranked 187th globally, by his account. He linked that gap to European energy policy, citing the United Kingdom’s reluctance to develop North Sea oil reserves as an example of self-imposed economic disadvantage — and contrasting it with Norway, which he said has accumulated roughly $3 trillion from its own North Sea production.
Looking Ahead: Midterms, Polling, and a White House Makeover
Caputo raised the historical pattern of second-term presidents losing political strength heading into their final midterm election. Trump rejected the premise, calling unfavorable polling “fake” and claiming he would beat any opponent “by 25 points.” He said he isn’t focused on holding onto power and is simply focused on doing his job, citing “very impactful things” he intends to accomplish over his remaining two-and-a-half years in office.
Asked whether he’ll miss the White House, Trump pivoted to an ongoing renovation project he said he is personally funding alongside private donors — naming companies including Apple and Microsoft — rather than taxpayer money, despite what he characterized as a judge’s preference that the project be government-funded. The centerpiece is a new ballroom that Trump said will feature thick bulletproof glass and a “drone-proof” roof, along with a rooftop drone-detection port. He also cited a 94% drop in violent crime in Washington, D.C., over the past year, pointed to cosmetic restoration work — including new grass, graffiti removal, and renovated fountains and monuments — and previewed plans for a new “Triumphal Arch” in the city.
Source
Axios. “Read the Transcript of Trump’s Interview With ‘The Axios Show.’” Axios, 19 June 2026, www.axios.com/2026/06/19/trump-axios-show-interview-transcript-marc-caputo.