Trump Hints at Regime Change in Iran as Khamenei Prepares for Succession from Bunker

by Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff

(Worthy News) – President Donald Trump on Sunday raised the prospect of “regime change” in Iran following what he described as “very successful” U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. In a Truth Social post, Trump linked the idea to his signature slogan, declaring, “It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!”

Trump’s remarks marked the first time since the outbreak of war between Israel and Iran on June 13 that he has publicly floated regime change as a potential U.S. objective. This contrasts with earlier statements from his administration, which have consistently emphasized that recent U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear sites were intended solely to halt Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes aimed to “neutralize the threats to our national interest posed by the Iranian nuclear program.”

Vice President J.D. Vance reiterated on NBC’s Meet The Press that “we do not want a regime change.” He emphasized that the administration’s priority remains ending Iran’s nuclear program and seeking a long-term settlement.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, has reportedly taken extraordinary steps to ensure continuity of leadership in case of his death amid escalating Israeli strikes. According to Iranian officials cited by The New York Times, Khamenei has nominated three senior clerics as potential successors–excluding his influential son, Mojtaba Khamenei, a figure long seen as a frontrunner. The move was described as an effort to prevent a power vacuum or dynastic transition that could destabilize Iran during wartime.

Khamenei’s decision was communicated to the Assembly of Experts, the body tasked with selecting the next Supreme Leader. The Iranian leader, said to be hiding in an underground bunker in Lavizan, northeast Tehran, has limited his communications to a single trusted aide to avoid Israeli tracking, amid reports that the Intelligence Ministry has ordered senior officials to go underground and halt electronic communications.

The Israeli government has remained largely silent on whether Khamenei is a direct target, although Defense Minister Israel Katz stated after an Iranian missile strike on Beersheba hospital, “He cannot continue to exist.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hinted that regime change could emerge as an outcome of the conflict.

Khamenei’s apparent sidelining of Mojtaba reflects a desire to avoid perceptions of nepotism and to safeguard the regime’s stability. Analysts suggest this move parallels Hezbollah’s strategy, where Israel’s swift targeting of successors prompted a shift toward appointing less prominent figures. Mojtaba’s hardline ideology and links to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may have made him a liability at a moment of acute vulnerability.

As tensions rise, Trump’s musings on regime change could further complicate the already volatile situation, as both the U.S. and Israel grapple with how best to counter Iran’s leadership while avoiding a wider regional war.

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