WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a historic and polarizing expansion of U.S. foreign policy, President Donald Trump declared on Thursday, March 5, 2026, that the United States "must be involved" in choosing the successor to the Iranian Supreme Leadership. Following the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28, Trump explicitly ruled out the Ayatollah’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as a viable candidate, deriding him as a "lightweight."
The President’s comments, delivered during a phone interview with Axios, have sent shockwaves through the international community. Critics warn that such a move represents a "blatant violation of sovereignty," while supporters argue it is the only way to ensure regional stability after six days of the "Operation Epic Fury" military campaign.
The "Venezuela Model" for Tehran
President Trump’s declaration marks a shift from his administration's earlier claims that "regime change" was not the objective. He instead sketched a vision for Iran’s future similar to his recent intervention in Venezuela.
- The Mandate: Trump stated that a "pro-Western, pro-harmony" leader is required to end the conflict. "They are wasting their time," Trump said of the Iranian Assembly of Experts. "I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela."
- The Rejection: By naming Mojtaba Khamenei as "unacceptable," the U.S. is effectively attempting to veto the internal deliberations of Iran’s 88-member Assembly of Experts, the body tasked with leadership selection.
- The "Dead" Candidates: Trump noted that the sheer scale of the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran had "flattened" the building housing the Assembly of Experts on Tuesday, reportedly killing many of the alternate leaders the U.S. had originally had in mind.
Search for a "Moderate" Survivor
The fallout has triggered 72 hours of intense diplomatic disorientation as the U.S. searches for a partner within the crippled Iranian regime.
- The Power Vacuum: With the top tier of the IRGC and the Supreme Leader's inner circle largely eliminated, the interim council, comprising President Masoud Pezeshkian and Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, is struggling to maintain order.
- The Opposition: While the exiled son of the last Shah, Reza Pahlavi, has pitched himself as a transitional figure, Trump appeared to dismiss him on Tuesday, stating that "someone from within, maybe, would be more appropriate."
- Retaliation Threats: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that the U.S. would "bitterly regret" its actions, specifically citing the sinking of the frigate IRIS Dena earlier in the week.
Sovereignty v. "Imminent Threat."
On March 5, 2026, a legal and procedural war erupted in Washington over the President's authority to continue the campaign.
- War Powers Resolution: The Senate successfully blocked a resolution aimed at preventing Trump from continuing the war, but the House is scheduled to vote on a similar measure.
- International Law: Experts at the UN have condemned the offensive as a violation of international law, while the Trump administration cites Article 51 and the "elimination of imminent threats" to justify the decapitation of the Iranian state.
- The "Venezuela Precedent": By citing Delcy Rodriguez, Trump is leaning on a controversial legal framework where the U.S. recognizes a specific foreign official as the legitimate head of state to facilitate resource access and security coordination.
"History is Being Rewritten"
Despite the mounting death toll, estimated at over 1,200 in Iran, the President remains unfazed. "We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran," he told Axios. "We don't have to go back every five years and do this again."
For the Trump administration, the goal is clear: to ensure the next Supreme Leader is not a "rogue terrorist" but a manageable partner. However, with Iranian clerics calling for "Trump's blood" on state television and the Middle East in flames, the "Kingmaker" strategy is being tested in real-time on the world's most dangerous stage.