‘Everything’s been knocked out': Trump says US doing 'very well' in Iran, shares ‘succession plan’ for Tehran

The remark of the US President comes three days after the US, along with Israel, launched an attack against Iran, killing Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Updated on: Mar 3, 2026, 23:00:28 IST

By HT News Desk

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Donald Trump on Tuesday said the US was doing “extremely well” in Iran even as he lauded the military operation against Iranian naval and air targets, saying “just about everything has been knocked out.”

File photo of US President Donald Trump. (REUTERS/ File)

The remark of the US President comes three days after the US, along with Israel, launched an attack against Iran, killing Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Trump said he ordered the attack against Iran because he "had a feeling" that Iran would attack the US as negotiations over its nuclear program stalled. However, he presented no evidence to support the view.

Trump also hit out at Iranian retaliatory attacks against Israel and Gulf nations, saying Tehran was attacking civilian places and nations “that had nothing to do with the conflict.”

“Everything has been knocked out in Iran,” Trump said during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House.

Trump reflects on Iran's succession plan

The US President also reflected on the succession plan in Tehran, saying he would “like to sees somebody in there that’s better.”

“I guess the worst case would be, we do this, and then somebody takes over who's as bad as the previous person, right?” Trump said, adding “Someone from within might be more appropriate for Iran.”

He also said that following two waves of US-Israeli attacks on Iran potential new leaders have been killed.

"Most of the people we had in mind are dead," Trump said, adding, "Now we have another group. They may be dead also, based on reports."

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