Trump says 'time to look for new leadership in Iran' despite opting not to strike regime over protester deaths

U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to indicate that his administration is still considering regime change in Iran during an interview on Saturday. 

Speaking to U.S.-based Politico, Trump said, “It’s time to look for new leadership in Iran.” 

His comments came shortly after the president backed off from a previously threatened military intervention. 

Last week, speaking at a rally in Detroit, Trump renewed statements of support for the Iranians protesting against the Islamic Republic’s regime, saying, "Iranian Patriots, keep protesting, take over your institutions, if possible, and save the name of the killers and the abusers that are abusing you.” 

The president then said, “Help is on its way,” a statement repeated in a post to Truth Social later that same day. 

At the time, many believed Trump had decided to act against the regime, which was in the middle of a violent crackdown on protesters, with reports of skyrocketing deaths among the protesters at the hands of regime forces. Even Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi appeared to take Trump’s statements as an indication of the administration’s intent to act, with Pahlavi telling the protesters, “Continue to fight, as you have done so far.” 

However, after pressure from Gulf states Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Oman, as well as a message the Trump administration received from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating that the regime was not moving forward with planned executions, Trump backed off his threats to intervene. 

Despite Trump’s later comments that the killing of protesters had stopped, reports continued to trickle out of the country, indicating that the regime was increasing the number of forces on the streets, even bringing in proxy militias from Iraq, to repress the protest movement. 

🚨 FIRST VIDEOS BREAKING OUT OF IRAN 🚨
Despite blackouts, massacres, and martial law — the truth is getting out.

Video 1 | Isfahan
Using internet filter breakers, residents show the aftermath:
🚌 The bus carrying IRGC and proxy jihadist units is destroyed.
They fled… pic.twitter.com/kfMgBOiqD7

— Gazelle غزاله شارمهد (@GazelleSharmahd) January 17, 2026

Trump’s statement to Politico appeared to renew a threat made by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who said earlier this month that Trump would “kill Khamenei” if the targeted killings of protesters continued. 

The president’s statement came following a series of posts by the account of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, accusing him of instigating the protests. 

“The US President introduced the groups who committed acts of vandalism, arson, and murdered people as ‘the Iranian nation,’” Khamenei wrote on 𝕏. “He uttered an appalling slander against the Iranian people. We find the US President guilty for this slander.” 

Earlier, Khamenei’s account had said that Trump is to blame for the deaths, writing, “We find the US President guilty due to the casualties, damages and slander he inflicted upon the Iranian nation.” 

After being confronted with Khamenei’s posts by Politico, Trump responded, “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.” 

“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,” Trump continued. “Leadership is about respect, not fear and death.” 

The chief prosecutor in Tehran said executions would proceed as planned, brushing off a post by President Trump as “baseless,” in remarks underscoring the regime’s refusal to slow its crackdown. pic.twitter.com/iUOR3EhTkI

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) January 17, 2026

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

With statements from regime officials over the weekend indicating that the Islamic Republic has not canceled its planned executions, analysts are now watching the situation closely to see if there are signs that the U.S. could be preparing to act. 

Khamenei himself, addressing a crowd at Friday prayers in Tehran, said that the regime had “broken the back of the rioters.” 

Khamenei today: “We broke the back of the rioters. The day of the successful crackdown will be remembered as a day of celebration for years to come.” 👇

He has become so emboldened that he is shamelessly calling the massacre of tens of thousands of Iranians a "celebration." pic.twitter.com/gW3zDzpAps

— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) January 17, 2026

He said the “successful crackdown will be remembered as a day of celebration for years to come.” 

Republican Senator Tom Cotton warned on Saturday that the U.S. military “is always planning multiple options related to Iran.” 

The United States has a wide range of options to inflict pain on the Ayatollahs.

Iran’s terrorist regime should be on notice. pic.twitter.com/L949l6dzFp

— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) January 17, 2026

“Ultimately, what we want to do is put maximum pressure on the ayatollahs and minimize civilian casualties in Iran as much as possible,” Cotton told Fox News.