The United States has ended its long-running policy of “regime change or nation building,” the national intelligence director said on Friday at a security summit in Bahrain, describing a shift toward stability and economic goals that also affects US policy toward Iran.
President Donald Trump’s approach now prioritizes regional peace and prosperity over democracy promotion, Tulsi Gabbard told officials at the Manama Dialogue.
Washington’s emphasis, she said, had moved from political engineering to achieving practical outcomes, including the ceasefire that halted Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza and the end of Israel’s 12-day war on Iran after US-led airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
The United States held five rounds of talks with Tehran earlier this year over its disputed nuclear program, under a 60-day ultimatum set by President Donald Trump.
When no deal was reached by the 61st day, June 13, Israel launched a surprise military campaign, culminating in US strikes on June 22 targeting key nuclear sites in Isfahan, Natanz, and Fordow.
“For decades, our foreign policy has been trapped in a counterproductive and endless cycle of regime change or nation building,” Gabbard said. “It was a one-size-fits-all approach, of toppling regimes, trying to impose our system of governance on others, intervene in conflicts that were barely understood and walk away with more enemies than allies.”
The policy reversal, she said, reflected lessons from past wars that had “cost trillions, taken countless lives and in many cases created greater security threats.”
Gabbard acknowledged that challenges remain, citing fragile conditions in Gaza and renewed activity at Iranian nuclear sites, recently noted by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency. “The road ahead will not be simple or easy but the president is very committed down this road,” she added.
