A study of distant clusters of galaxies with radio sources was undertaken to study the evolution of the intracluster medium with redshift, and to determine if this evolution is related to the evolution of the radio source population. We obtained ROSAT HRI data for four clusters of galaxies that contain radio sources at redshifts of about 0.5. The results of these observations are presented here. Two of the clusters were detected, and two have interestingly low upper bounds on their X‐ray luminosities.The detected X‐ray emission is unresolved, and in each case could originate from either the hot intracluster medium or the radio source. The fact that the two clusters that contain FRII radio sources have upper bounds on their X‐ray luminosities, while the two clusters with compact or amorphous radio sources have detected X‐ray luminosities supports the notion that the evolution of the environments of FRII radio sources with redshift may be linked to the evolution of the intracluster medium with redshift, as discussed by Wanet al. (1994 a,b). ©1994 American Institute of Physics