Trump Rules Out US Ground Troops in Iran for Now, Calls Military Intervention ‘Waste of Time’

President signals desire to see Iran’s leadership structure removed but opposes prolonged occupation as regional conflict intensifies

Washington — President Donald Trump has stated he is not currently considering deploying US ground troops into Iran, describing such an intervention as a “waste of time” amid the escalating conflict between Israel, the United States, and Iranian forces.

In a telephone interview with NBC News on Thursday, Trump dismissed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s warning that a ground invasion would spell disaster for any foreign force attempting to enter the country.

“It’s a waste of time. They’ve lost everything. They’ve lost their navy. They’ve lost everything they can lose,” Trump told NBC. He characterized Araghchi’s warning as a “wasted comment.”

The president indicated he favours swift action to remove Iran’s leadership structure, stating “we want to go in and clean out everything” quickly. “We don’t want someone who would rebuild over a 10-year period,” he added.

Trump confirmed he has ideas for a potential successor to Iran’s leadership but declined to name any individuals.

The comments follow coordinated US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, triggering a sharp escalation in regional hostilities. Trump had earlier stated he would “have to be involved” in appointing Iran’s next leader.

Conflict Intensifies

Heavy attacks were reported in Tehran on Friday as Israel announced it was targeting “regime infrastructure” in what it described as a “new phase” of the war launched with the US against Iran.

The president’s remarks signal a desire to avoid prolonged military entanglement while pursuing decisive outcomes in the conflict, reflecting longstanding Trump administration scepticism of extensive ground operations in the Middle East.

Iran has launched waves of missile attacks on Israeli territory and US targets across the region since Khamenei’s killing, as both Israel and the United States continue strikes on Iranian positions.