Here's a foreign policy stance you don't see every day: a former U.S. president claiming veto power over another country's leadership. Former President Donald Trump said over the weekend that Iran's newly named supreme leader will need his personal endorsement to have a lasting tenure.
"He's going to have to get approval from us," Trump told ABC News on Sunday. "If he doesn't get approval from us, he's not going to last long."
It's a remarkable statement about influence, suggesting the political survival of Iran's top religious authority hinges on a thumbs-up from Mar-a-Lago. When pressed on whether he'd ever approve someone connected to the previous hardline regime, Trump was open to the idea. "I would, in order to choose a good leader I would, yeah, I would. There are numerous people that could qualify," he said.
The comments land as Iran undergoes a significant leadership transition. State media reported Sunday that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been named the country's new supreme leader. Trump had previously inserted himself into that selection process, saying he needed to be "personally involved" and dismissing Mojtaba Khamenei as a "lightweight."
Trump also addressed the ongoing military tensions, framing the decision to end the war as a collaborative—but ultimately presidential—prerogative. In a discussion with The Times of Israel, he said the choice would be "mutual… a little bit" with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He then clarified who holds the real power. "I'll make a decision at the right time, but everything's going to be taken into account," said Trump.
The new Iranian leader isn't finding a warm welcome in some U.S. political circles either. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) issued a sharp critique, arguing Mojtaba Khamenei is not the change Iran needs and accusing him of living a life of privilege while ordinary citizens suffer. Graham added that the new leader could ultimately face the same fate as his father, whom the senator described as "one of the world's most evil men."
So, to recap the unusual state of play: a former American president is positioning himself as the gatekeeper for Iran's leadership stability, a senator is predicting doom for the new supreme leader, and the man who would be commander-in-chief again says the end of the war rests in his hands alone. It's a stark reminder that in global politics, the lines of authority some people draw are very much their own.
