US President Donald Trump has issued his strongest endorsement yet for regime change in Iran, declaring it would be “the best thing that could happen” to the country and the region.
In a clear escalation of rhetoric, Trump said on Friday that the clerical leadership in Tehran has wasted 47 years “talking and talking and talking” while lives have been lost. He stopped short of naming a replacement but insisted “there are people” ready to take over.
The statement marks one of the most direct calls for overthrowing Iran’s government by a sitting U.S. president in recent years and comes as Washington ramps up military and diplomatic pressure on Tehran.
Trump’s Exact Words on Iran Regime Change
Speaking at Fort Bragg, Trump told reporters:
“For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking and talking. In the meantime, we’ve lost a lot of lives.”
When pressed on what Iran should do to avoid military action, he replied that Tehran must “give us a deal that they should have given us the first time.”
Second U.S. Aircraft Carrier Heads to Middle East
As part of the intensified pressure campaign, Trump announced that the USS Gerald R. Ford — the world’s largest and most advanced aircraft carrier — will soon join the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East.
The Pentagon first deployed the Abraham Lincoln in January following deadly protests in Iran. Trump shared an aerial photo of the Ford on Truth Social, showing the massive warship en route to the region.
Nuclear Talks Continue Despite Threats
Despite the tough talk, Trump confirmed that negotiations with Iran are still ongoing. After meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House earlier this week, he said the U.S. would keep talking while maintaining the threat of strikes if no agreement is reached.
Key U.S. and Israeli demands on Iran include:
- Complete halt to uranium enrichment
- Major cuts to Iran’s ballistic missile program
- End to support for proxy groups (Hamas, Hezbollah, and others)
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has already rejected what he called “excessive demands,” saying Tehran is willing to limit its nuclear program only in exchange for sanctions relief.
Background: Trump’s Long History with Iran
This is not Trump’s first hard line on Iran. During his first term, he withdrew the United States from the 2015 Obama-era nuclear deal (JCPOA) and reimposed crippling sanctions that severely damaged Iran’s economy.
Talks for a new deal restarted last year but were complicated by the recent 12-day war between Israel and Iran. The current wave of protests in Iran — some of the largest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution — has further heightened tensions.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, has not yet responded publicly to Trump’s latest regime-change comments.
