Trump demands role in choosing Iran's next supreme leader, calls Khamenei's son 'unacceptable'

US President Donald Trump staked an unprecedented claim Thursday on Iran's internal succession process, telling Axios he expects a personal role in choosing the country's next supreme leader. Trump compared his anticipated involvement to the situation in Venezuela, where he has backed interim President Delcy Rodriguez following the capture of Nicolas Maduro. He specifically rejected Mojtaba Khamenei, son of slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a reported frontrunner, dismissing him as "a lightweight" and warning that continuing his father's policies would lead to renewed conflict "in five years."

Constitutional Process and US Intervention

The US president declared that he wants a successor who will "bring harmony and peace to Iran," effectively demanding an outcome contrary to the Islamic Republic's foundational principles. Iran has not yet announced a new supreme leader following Saturday's US-Israeli strikes that killed Khamenei and dozens of senior officials. Under Iran's Constitution, the 88-member Assembly of Experts is responsible for selecting a successor, with a temporary council assuming leadership duties in the interim. Mojtaba Khamenei, though holding no formal public office, was sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2019 and has been linked to the Basij force that suppressed protests after the disputed 2009 election.

Renewed Demand for Netanyahu Pardon

In the same interview, Trump renewed his call for Israeli President Isaac Herzog to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling Herzog "a disgrace" for failing to act. Trump claimed Herzog had promised five times over the past year to grant the pardon but never followed through, adding that he refused to meet Herzog until the pardon was issued. "I want the only pressure on Bibi to be the fighting against Iran," Trump said. However, a senior Israeli official pushed back on Trump's account, stating Herzog never made such a promise and would only consider the request in line with legal procedures. Herzog's office said the president is not dealing with the pardon issue "at a time when we are all mobilized." Netanyahu faces a long-running domestic corruption trial over favors and benefits he allegedly received in exchange for regulatory or political advantages.