Summary
The article discusses President Donald Trump's recent comments about influencing the choice of Iran's next leader, reflecting a broader pattern of U.S. involvement in foreign leadership changes. Trump's statements on Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela suggest his administration's approach aligns with historic U.S. interventions in foreign governments. The article also highlights past U.S. involvement in leadership changes in countries like Guatemala and Iran during the 20th century.
Key Facts
- President Trump said he wants to help pick Iran's next leader, opposing the likely successor Mojtaba Khamenei.
- Trump compared his approach in Iran to actions taken in Cuba and Venezuela.
- The U.S. has a history of intervening in foreign leadership, often citing communism as the reason.
- In 1954, the CIA led a coup in Guatemala to replace President Jacobo Árbenz with Carlos Castillo Armas.
- A CIA-backed coup in 1953 replaced Iran's Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh with a pro-Western leader.
- The U.S. performed at least 81 interventions in foreign elections from 1946 to 2000, according to a 2016 study.
- Some historians believe American interventions were motivated by protecting financial interests abroad.
