The Wall Street Journal reports that days before the war, President Trump was warned that eliminating Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei could lead to a more radical successor regime. However, Trump was ultimately convinced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and others who argued Iran was at an unprecedented low, adopting their plans for military action. The report adds to accounts of internal debate over the strategy against Iran.
A new Wall Street Journal report, published Tuesday afternoon, reveals that days before ordering military action against Iran, President Trump was warned by intelligence and diplomatic officials that eliminating Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei could produce a more radical successor. Despite those warnings, Trump was persuaded by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and others who argued Iran was at an unprecedented low and presented detailed plans for a campaign, leading Trump to authorize the strikes. The report adds to the picture of pre-war deliberations.
Earlier Tuesday morning, The Zioneer first reported that Trump had received an explicit warning that Khamenei's elimination would make Iran more extreme. That was followed by a WSJ investigation detailing intelligence assessments that killing Khamenei would accelerate Iran's nuclear weapons drive, and a Ynet report noting that Vice President JD Vance opposed the campaign. The new report now identifies Defense Secretary Hegseth as the key figure who swayed Trump.
The Zioneer has previously documented Trump's evolving approach to Iran, including his threats of a broad but limited military campaign to break a diplomatic deadlock, as reported in June 2026, and his subsequent ultimatum for a nuclear deal. The new reporting sheds further light on the internal debates that shaped the decision to go to war.
The WSJ report relies on anonymous sources, and the full scope of Hegseth's plans remains unspecified. It is not clear whether any officials beyond Vance continued to oppose the campaign.
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