President Donald Trump escalated rhetoric against Iran on Sunday, suggesting that the U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites could pave the way for regime change, marking a sharp shift from his administration's stated objective of limiting Tehran's nuclear capabilities.
"It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The remarks follow a large-scale U.S. military operation Saturday night, during which seven B-2 stealth bombers and more than 125 aircraft targeted Iran's Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities. Trump hailed the mission as a resounding success and praised the aircrews involved. "The GREAT B-2 pilots have just landed, safely, in Missouri," he posted. "Thank you for a job well done!!! DONA[L]D J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!"
Trump emphasized the extent of the destruction inflicted on Iran's nuclear infrastructure. "The damage to the Nuclear sites in Iran is said to be 'monumental,'" he wrote. "The hits were hard and accurate. Great skill was shown by our military. Thank you!"
While Trump's remarks signal a growing appetite for confrontation, they contrast with the position of Vice President JD Vance, who reaffirmed on NBC's "Meet The Press" that the administration's objective remains focused on denuclearization, not regime collapse. "We do not want to protract this or build this out any more than it's already been built out," Vance said. "We want to end their nuclear program, and then we want to talk to the Iranians about a long-term settlement here."
This is the first time since the outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Iran that Trump has publicly raised the possibility of regime change. His comments follow a decade-long history of criticizing Republican neoconservatives for pursuing regime overthrows abroad. Yet the weekend's developments suggest a significant recalibration.
The strikes, according to Pentagon officials, were executed with surgical precision. Multiple reports confirmed that the B-2 bombers dropped bunker-busting GBU-57 bombs on fortified underground facilities. Satellite imagery has since revealed heavy surface scarring and collapsed tunnel entrances at Fordow and Isfahan.
