Trump on the Appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s New Supreme Leader: Without Our Approval, He Won’t Last Long

Middle East News Network: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Iran’s new Supreme Leader “will not last long” without the approval of the United States, indicating that he is not pleased with the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new Supreme Leader.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said: “He will need our approval. If he doesn’t get our approval, he won’t last long. We want to make sure we don’t have to go back and deal with this every ten years in the absence of a president like me who actually takes action.”
Trump added: “I don’t want anyone to come back after five years and repeat the same thing, or worse, allow them to obtain a nuclear weapon.”
In interviews with American media outlets such as Axios and Reuters, Trump also said he was “not happy” with this choice and described it as “unacceptable,” calling for personal involvement in the selection process to ensure a leader who would bring peace. He compared the situation to previous U.S. involvement in Venezuela, warning that the continuation of Khamenei’s policies could lead to another war.
Earlier on Sunday, Iran officially announced the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new Supreme Leader, succeeding his father Ali Khamenei, days after the latter was assassinated during the U.S.-Israeli attack on Tehran in late February 2026.
Source: American media outlets