White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that President Donald Trump supports the idea of a more favorable leader emerging in Iran, framing such an outcome as a matter of “common sense” as U.S. military operations continue to dismantle the country’s leadership structure.
Speaking during a March 25 press briefing, Leavitt was asked whether Trump still believes the United States should play a role in shaping Iran’s next leadership, referencing remarks the president made earlier this month. In response, Leavitt said, “As I’ve said repeatedly, I think the president obviously believes the United States wants to have someone in leadership position in the Iranian regime that will be much more favorable that will be willing to work with the United States that will no longer chant death to America. These would obviously be good common sense things for the United States and for our allies. And I think that’s what the president meant when he spoke with Reuters that day.”
Reporter: The president said the U.S.. should have a role in choosing Iran's next leadership. Now that we're almost four weeks into the operation, is that still the president assessment of where things should go?
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 25, 2026
Leavitt: I think the president obviously believes the United… pic.twitter.com/ryqiMQwgaG
Her comments come as U.S. operations under Operation Epic Fury continue, following strikes that have eliminated Iran’s supreme leader and more than 40 senior officials. The campaign, launched in late February, has focused on dismantling Iran’s military and command infrastructure, significantly weakening the regime’s leadership and operational capacity.
The question referenced by the reporter stems from remarks Trump made during a gaggle aboard Air Force One earlier this month, where he indicated a desire for long-term stability in Iran’s leadership. “Yeah… we don’t want to come back every 5 years or every 10 years and do this. So, we want to pick a president that’s not going to be leading their country into a war,” Trump said at the time.
Reporter: You said you want to be involved in the selection of the next leader of Iran.
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 7, 2026
Trump: Yeah… we don't want to come back every 5 years or every 10 years and do this. So, we want to pick a president that's not going to be leading their country into a war. pic.twitter.com/vANY6x8b3g
Leavitt’s framing of the president’s position emphasized alignment with U.S. and allied interests, suggesting that any future leadership in Iran should be willing to engage diplomatically and abandon hostile rhetoric. Her comments did not outline a specific mechanism for how the United States would influence such a transition but underscored that the administration views the outcome as strategically important.
The briefing also highlighted the broader military context, with Leavitt stating that U.S. forces have struck thousands of targets and sharply reduced Iran’s offensive capabilities. As operations continue and negotiations remain ongoing, the question of Iran’s future leadership has become increasingly central to the administration’s public messaging about the conflict.