Trump ‘Would Back’ the Killing of Iran’s New Leader if He Doesn’t Agree to US Demands: WSJ

03 March 2026, USA, Washington: US President Donald Trump speaks while receiving German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) at the White House. Topics include the war in Iran, the customs dispute between the EU and the USA, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and China policy. Photo by: Kay Nietfeld/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images

President Donald Trump is reportedly open to having Iran’s new supreme leader killed if he doesn’t agree to the U.S.’s demands to end the war.

On Sunday, Iran’s Assembly of Experts named Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader of Iran. He succeeds his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed last weekend in the U.S. and Israel’s joint strikes. Mojtaba’s selection has been characterized as a continuation of the regime that the U.S. has sought to eliminate.

Trump told the New York Post in a Monday interview that he was “not happy” with the pick.

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the president “would back” the killing of Mojtaba if he, like his father, refused America’s demands. Chief among them is the end of Iran’s development of nuclear arms.

The WSJ report continued:

President Trump has told aides he would back the killing of new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei if he proves unwilling to cede to U.S. demands, such as ending Iran’s nuclear development, current and former U.S. officials said.

The White House declined to comment, but Trump on Monday told the New York Post he was “not happy” that Khamenei was selected to lead Iran after previously calling him “unacceptable.” Trump last week on social media said he wanted a say in picking a “great and acceptable” ruler for Iran following its “unconditional surrender.”

“I’m not going through this to end up with another Khamenei,” Trump told Time magazine last week.

The report also added that Israel would “likely” carry out the targeted strike if a decision is made to eliminate Mojtaba.

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