Trump vows to sustain U.S. combat operations in Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump said in a March 1 interview with The New York Times that there are “three very good options” for who could lead Iran following the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in recent U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. He declined to name specific individuals, saying, “Let's get the job done first." Trump also outlined possible scenarios for Iran’s political future, including a popular uprising that replaces the regime or a Venezuela-style model in which much of the current leadership remains while adopting policies more favorable to the United States. The New York Times described his remarks as presenting “several ideas that appear contradictory.”

In the roughly six-minute phone interview, President Trump discussed the possibility of the Iranian people overthrowing the existing government. He said he hopes senior officials of the Revolutionary Guard, long a dominant force in Iran’s theocratic system, would hand over weapons to the public. “They will truly surrender to the Iranian people,” he said.

At the same time, Trump said, “What we did in Venezuela, I think, is the perfect, the perfect scenario,” when discussing how a transfer of power might unfold in another country. He referenced Venezuela’s experience following the removal of its leader and suggested that preserving much of a government’s structure while changing its top leadership could serve as a model for a future political transition in Iran. Trump spoke approvingly of an approach in which the main opposition figure is removed but many officials and institutions remain in place and are encouraged to work with the United States. He implied that a similar outcome might be desirable in Iran.

The New York Times noted that Trump’s simultaneous references to a popular uprising and a Venezuela-style continuation of the regime suggest that his administration still faces considerable uncertainty over how the battlefield and the formation of an alternative government in Tehran will unfold in the coming weeks.

Regarding the timing of potential strikes on Iran, Trump said, “We were thinking of four to five weeks,” and added, “We have a tremendous amount of ammunition.”

In a video posted on Truth Social, Trump said combat operations against Iran “continue at this time in full force and they will continue until all of our objectives are achieved.” Trump also confirmed that three U.S. service members were killed in Iranian retaliatory attacks and said, “Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends,” acknowledging that additional casualties could occur.

His remarks indicated a readiness to accept additional losses in pursuit of a decisive end to the conflict with Iran. Some observers said the stance marks a departure from his typical foreign policy posture. Trump, who has championed an “America First” doctrine, has generally voiced skepticism about deep U.S. military involvement in regional conflicts, including those in the Middle East.


Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com