The White House has clarified that the United States is not seeking regime change in Iran, despite President Donald Trump’s recent comments that appeared to raise the possibility.
On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, “The President’s posture and our military posture has not changed.” She emphasized that Trump’s statement was rhetorical rather than indicative of a shift in U.S. policy.
“The president was simply raising a question that I think many people around the world are asking: If the Iranian regime refuses to give up its nuclear program or engage in talks,” Leavitt said. “If they refuse to engage in diplomacy moving forward, why shouldn’t the Iranian people rise up against this brutal terrorist regime?”
The clarification comes after Trump’s remarks on Sunday, which marked the first time he publicly entertained the idea of regime change in Iran. The administration maintains that its focus remains on diplomatic solutions to address Iran’s nuclear ambitions, even as tensions persist between the two nations.