Washington — Donald Trump has said that launching a ground invasion against Iran would be “a waste of time,” while suggesting that the United States could play a role in shaping the country’s future leadership.
In an interview with NBC News, Trump dismissed speculation about a potential ground offensive by the United States and its regional ally Israel.
“It would be a waste of time. They have already lost everything,” Trump said, claiming that Iran’s naval capabilities and much of its military infrastructure had already been destroyed.
However, the U.S. president hinted that Washington intends to influence the process of selecting Iran’s next leader. Speaking during a phone interview, Trump said the United States wanted to ensure that Iran does not fall under the control of someone who could rebuild the country’s military strength in the coming years.
“We don’t want someone who will spend the next ten years rebuilding everything again,” he said.
Trump did not name any specific individuals whom Washington might support as Iran’s next leader, but he suggested that the United States has several potential candidates in mind.
“We want them to have a good leader. There are some people we think could do the job very well,” he added.
The U.S. president also indicated that efforts may be underway to ensure that those individuals are not harmed during the ongoing conflict.
“Yes, we are keeping an eye on them,” Trump said.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East and growing fears of wider regional escalation following Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.
