Trump Ignores CIA Warning: Killing Khamenei Could Backfire
President Donald Trump pushed for regime change in Iran, targeting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, despite a CIA assessment warning it could make matters worse.
The agency noted that if Khamenei dies, IRGC hardliners would likely take over — leaders focused on military power rather than diplomacy or religious legitimacy. Killing the top could destabilize Iran and unleash far more extreme elements, echoing the Iraq war lesson: removing a leader doesn’t dismantle the system.
Trump urged Iranians to rise up, but with the IRGC in charge, protesters may face soldiers with nothing left to lose.