Ex-Spy Chief Warned Trump Killing Iran Leader Could Empower Radicals: WSJ

President Donald Trump received warnings from intelligence officials, including former intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard, that attacking Iran and potentially killing its former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, could lead to a more radical regime with increased nuclear ambitions, according to The Wall Street Journal.

In the lead-up to the February attack that initiated the US-Israel war with Iran, Gabbard reportedly cautioned Trump in the Oval Office that eliminating Iran's supreme leader might result in a hard-line government more inclined to pursue nuclear weapons. She also warned of Iran potentially closing the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting the global energy market, and advised that targeting Iran could provoke attacks on US forces and allies, questioning American reliability.

Several senior national security officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, and Adm. Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, also advised against launching an attack. Their concerns centered on potential mass casualties, limited weapons stockpiles, and readiness issues for an overstretched military. These officials had briefed Trump multiple times on plans to strike Iranian targets, aiming to weaken the Islamic Republic and its military forces.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly informed Trump that the potential attack offered a rare chance to dismantle Iran's nuclear program and bolster his legacy. Despite these warnings from Gabbard and other officials, Trump reportedly dismissed their concerns, echoing Hegseth's views.