WATCH: Trump Reveals Nightmare Scenario In Iran

President Donald Trump offered his clearest explanation yet of what he believes the true “worst case” scenario would be in the escalating U.S.-Israel war against Iran, dismissing purely military outcomes and instead pointing to the political aftermath.

Trump addressed the issue Tuesday during a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House, where reporters pressed him on contingency planning as the conflict intensifies.

“What’s the worst case scenario that you have planned for in Iran?” a reporter asked.

“Well, I don’t know if there’s a worst case,” Trump responded. “We have, very much, even militarily, from a military standpoint, still lobbing some missiles, at some point they won’t even be able to do that because we’re hitting all of their carriers.”

Trump said U.S. and Israeli forces are systematically degrading Iran’s missile capabilities.

“We’re hitting all of their missile stock. You know, they built up all these missiles over the last few years. They had a lot of them. They’ve shot a lot of them. And we’re knocking out a lot,” he said.

But the president made clear that his concern isn’t simply about battlefield losses or continued missile fire. Instead, he framed the “worst” outcome as a political one.

“I guess the worst case would be we do this and then somebody takes over who’s as bad as the previous person, right? That could happen,” Trump said. “You go through this, and then, in five years, you realize you put somebody in who was no better.”

“So we’d like to see somebody in there that’s going to bring it back for the people, and we’ll see what happens with the people,” Trump said, while also warning civilians against protesting amid ongoing bombardment. “If you’re going to go out and protest, don’t do it yet. It’s very dangerous out there. A lot of bombs are being dropped.”

WATCH:

Reporter: What’s the worst-case scenario that you have planned for in Iran?

Trump: Worst case is replacing Iranian leaders with someone… no better! pic.twitter.com/ZcSxhL9emk

— Viory Video (@vioryvideo) March 3, 2026

The remarks come as the United States and Israel continue heavy airstrikes across Iran. Military and government targets in Tehran have been hit, including reported strikes near the presidential office and national security council facilities.

According to U.S. officials, hundreds of strikes have already occurred as part of a coordinated campaign that Trump has said could last several weeks. The bombing has been described by officials as heavy and uninterrupted.

The toll from the conflict continues to rise. Reports indicate roughly 800 people have died so far, including Iranian civilians and combatants across multiple fronts. The U.S. military has confirmed that six American service members have been killed during the conflict.

Missile and drone exchanges have wounded and killed others throughout the region, adding to fears of escalation.

Iran and Iranian-backed militias have retaliated with missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. bases and facilities in Gulf states. Attacks have impacted infrastructure in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and have affected diplomatic compounds, including U.S. embassy sites. The fighting has also spread to Lebanon, where Israel has launched additional strikes in response to militia activity.

Trump, however, has remained firm, defending the operation as necessary to neutralize Iran’s military capabilities and prevent future threats.

For now, the president appears less concerned about missile counts than about what follows them. In his view, the true “worst case” is not continued combat — but a post-conflict Iran that looks much the same as before.