Trump Demands Role in Choosing Iran's Next Supreme Leader, Rejects Khamenei's Son

U.S. President Donald Trump stated he must be personally involved in selecting Iran's next supreme leader, calling the frontrunner Mojtaba Khamenei "a lightweight" and insisting "I have to be involved in the appointment." The remarks came as a three-person council governs Iran following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during U.S.-Israeli military operations. Trump cited his approach to Venezuela's political transition under Delcy Rodriguez as his preferred model for post-war Iranian governance.