Trump makes bold statement against Iran’s supreme leader Khamenei, calls him a ‘sick man’, says it’s time for new leadership in Iran

Protests in Iran, which began on December 28, have led to more than 3308 deaths, with many more injured. Just yesterday, Trump expressed gratitude regarding the Iranian Government’s decision to halt the execution of over 800 people. But now his tone appears to be more severe against the Iranian government.

What did Trump say about Khamenei’s leadership and Iran’s direction?

In a statement issued on Saturday, President Doland Trump demanded that the 37-year reign of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei come to an end. Speaking to POLITICO, Trump said,” It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran.” It was the first time that Trump had mentioned the possibility of ending Khamenei’s regime in an official statement.

During an interview with Politico, the President stated that it was time for new leadership in Iran. This statement suggests that Trump desires a change in the power structure of Iran. He made these remarks at a time when weeks of protests have been ongoing in the Gulf nation. During the last three weeks, many protestors nationwide died, leading President Trump to make threats of military intervention multiple times. Just days ago, on Tuesday, he encouraged Iranian protestors to continue their protests and “take control of institutions,” adding that “help is on the way.” That changed rapidly. The next day, the president stated he had received information stating that the killings had ceased.

Could Trump’s comments signal a shift in US policy toward Iran?

Upon being questioned regarding the possibility of an imminent U.S. military strike against Iran, President Donald J. Trump stated that “The best decision he ever made was not hanging more than 800 people two days ago.”

Taking to X, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Khamenei wrote, “We find the US President guilty due to the casualties, damages, and slander he inflicted upon the Iranian nation.”

“The US President introduced the groups who committed acts of vandalism, arson, and murdered people as “the Iranian nation.” He uttered an appalling slander against the Iranian people. We find the US President guilty for this slander,” he further wrote.  In another post, he wrote,” Agents of the US and the Zionist regime committed heinous crimes in this sedition. They vandalized 250 mosques and over 250 educational & scientific centers. They damaged the power grid, banks, and healthcare facilities. They murdered several thousand people.”

What impact could Trump’s statement have on US‑Iran relations?

After being briefed on the posts, Trump said that Tehran’s rulers govern through repression and violence. “What he is guilty of, as the leader of a country, is the complete destruction of the country and the use of violence at levels never seen before,” Trump was quoted as saying by Politico.

“In order to keep the country functioning — even though that function is a very low level — the leadership should focus on running his country properly, like I do with the United States, and not killing people by the thousands in order to keep control.” He added,”Leadership is about respect, not fear and death.”

“The man is a sick man who should run his country properly and stop killing people. His country is the worst place to live anywhere in the world because of poor leadership,” he stated as reported by Politico.