Gabbard: US Regime Change Strategy ‘Over’ Under Trump
On Friday, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard declared that the United States’ strategy of regime change or nation-building had concluded during the presidency of Donald Trump. Her comments, delivered at the Manama Dialogue, an annual security summit in Bahrain organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, echoed Trump’s statements made earlier in the year during his visit to the Middle East.
A Shift in US Foreign Policy
In Trump’s second term, the previous American objectives of promoting human rights and democracy in the region were replaced by a focus on economic prosperity and regional stability. This shift included securing a ceasefire that stopped the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It also involved ending the 12-day war between Israel and Iran following the deployment of American bombers to attack Iranian nuclear sites.
Gabbard, a former congresswoman from Hawaii and a veteran of the U.S. National Guard, stated, “For decades, our foreign policy has been stuck in a never-ending cycle of regime change or nation-building, which is futile.” She added, “It has been a one-size-fits-all approach of toppling regimes, attempting to impose our system of government on others, intervening in conflicts that are barely understood, and coming out with more enemies than allies.” Gabbard acknowledged that the outcomes were the expenditure of trillions of dollars, the loss of countless lives, and, in many instances, the creation of greater security threats.
Trump’s Perspective on Post-9/11 Conflicts
This assessment reflects Trump’s own views on the wars that followed the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. He reached an agreement in his first term to withdraw from Afghanistan, which, under the Biden administration, turned into a chaotic exit in 2021. Meanwhile, Trump embraced Ahmed al-Shar’a, a former al-Qaeda fighter held in a U.S. prison in Iraq. The former president’s actions aimed to re-evaluate the US’s foreign policy approach, particularly in the Middle East.
Gabbard did not mention Trump’s deployment of warships off South America, the lethal strikes targeting alleged drug-smuggling boats, or his orders to the Central Intelligence Agency to conduct secret operations targeting Venezuela, which sparked invasion fears and speculation that Trump might try to overthrow its president.
Conclusion
Gabbard’s remarks highlight a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy under Trump. The focus moved away from regime change and nation-building toward economic stability and regional peace, particularly in the Middle East. This transition reflects a broader re-evaluation of the costs and consequences of the post-9/11 conflicts.
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