WASHINGTON \u2014 President Donald Trump on Thursday indicated that he wants to see Iran’s leadership structure fully removed, and that he has some names in mind for a “good leader.”<\/p>\n
“We want to go in and clean out everything,” Trump told NBC News in a phone call. “We don\u2019t want someone who would rebuild over a 10-year period.”<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want them to have a good leader. We have some people who I think would do a good job,\u201d he added, while declining to name anyone.<\/p>\n
The president also said he’s taking steps to make sure the people on his list make it through the war alive.<\/p>\n
“We are watching them, yeah,” Trump said.<\/p>\n
Trump’s comments expand on remarks he made in an interview with NBC News<\/a> on Saturday. Asked who will next lead Iran, Trump replied, \u201cI don\u2019t know, but at some point they\u2019ll be calling me to ask who I\u2019d like,\u201d adding that he was \u201conly being a little sarcastic when I say that.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump also responded on Thursday to comments Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi<\/a> made to \u201cNBC Nightly News\u201d anchor Tom Llamas, when he said his country is ready for a ground invasion by American and Israeli forces.<\/p>\n Trump called that a “wasted comment” and suggested an invasion is not something he’s thinking about at this time.<\/p>\n \u201cIts a waste of time. They\u2019ve lost everything. They\u2019ve lost their Navy. They\u2019ve lost everything they can lose,\u201d he said, adding that the pace and intensity of strikes will continue.<\/p>\n Iran is now facing a power vacuum after the death of Khamenei last weekend with rumors swirling that his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, could be chosen as the new supreme leader.<\/p>\n The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the dominant military, political and economic force in the country, is also poised to expand its power if it can survive the current conflict, analysts say.<\/p>\n On the domestic front, Trump reiterated his frustration that Congress has not passed the SAVE America Act, legislation that would impose new election requirements like proof of citizenship to register to vote. The legislation is currently stalled in the Senate.<\/p>\n The president said he’s \u201cnot happy it’s not moving,\u201d and that he\u2019s \u201cexpressed that to everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n He then went further than he’s gone before by saying he would support a government shutdown if the bill doesn’t make it to his desk.<\/p>\n \u201cI would close government over it,” Trump said. “To me, that\u2019s a core belief.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com\/image\/upload\/t_focal-760x428,f_auto,q_auto:best\/mpx\/2704722219\/2026_03\/1772756245262_nn_tll_iran_fm_260305_1920x1080-yhgder.jpg\")
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