President Donald Trump has suggested that regime change in Iran “would be the best thing that could happen,” amid heightened U.S. military activity in the Middle East.
Trump made the remarks on February 13 while addressing reporters after his speech to military families at Fort Bragg, before which he had announced the redeployment of a second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford.
“Seems like [regime change in Iran] would be the best thing that could happen. For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking and talking. In the meantime, we’ve lost a lot of lives while they talk. Legs blown off, arms blown off, faces blown off. We’ve been going on for a long time. So, let’s see what happens,” Trump said.
“Tremendous power has arrived, and additional power, as you know, and other carriers going out shortly, so we’ll see it now, if we could get it settled for once.”
Asked by reporters what Iran could do to avoid military action, Trump framed the hardening U.S. posture toward Tehran as a result of Iran’s perceived intransigence in negotiations over its nuclear program.
“Give us the deal that they should have given us the first time. If they give us the right deal, we won’t do that. Historically they haven’t done that. I will say they want to talk, but so far, they do a lot of talking and no action.”
Military buildup in the Middle East
Trump’s remarks coincided with his earlier announcement that the USS Gerald R. Ford is being redeployed to the Middle East to bolster existing U.S. military presence.
“In case we don’t make a deal, we’ll need it. If we don’t have a deal, we’ll need it. If we have a deal, we could cut it short. It’ll be leaving. It’ll be leaving very soon. We have one out there that just arrived. If we need it, we’ll have it ready,” the President told reporters while on his way to Fort Bragg.
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The carrier will join the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group, which has already been operating in the region for more than two weeks.
Over the past month, approximately 150 C-17 and C-5 transport planes have flown U.S. military equipment to the area, while fighter jets have been repositioned to regional countries.
A new Saturday, February 14, Reuters report further signals the scale of potential escalation. According to the report, the U.S. military is preparing for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long operations against Iran if President Trump ultimately orders an attack.
Trump maintains diplomacy still on the table for Iran
However, the President had reiterated that diplomacy remains his preferred path despite emphasizing military preparedness.
His remarks follow a February 11 meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, which Trump described as “very good.”
Also Read: Trump Confirms Imminent Military Strike in Iran After Sending Second Carrier
The nearly three-hour discussion covered Iran, regional security, and ongoing developments in Gaza.
“I insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a deal can be consummated,” Trump said. “If it can, that will be a preference. If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be.”
Trump also referenced the June 2025 “Midnight Hammer” strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, noting that Tehran faced consequences for previous failures to negotiate.
The President further emphasized the strength of U.S.-Israel relations, framing cooperation with Netanyahu as central to regional strategy.
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