President Donald Trump said that the United States should play a role in selecting Iran's next leader following the reported death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In a phone interview with Reuters, Trump compared the situation to what he described as American influence over leadership developments in Venezuela after the capture of former president Nicolas Maduro by United States special operators.

Trump cautioned that it was still very early in the succession process but indicated that Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader's son and a widely discussed potential successor, would not be acceptable to Washington. He stated that the United States is seeking a leader who would bring 'harmony and peace to Iran.'