Donald Trump’s ‘Make Iran Great Again’ post hints at the regime change aim of the US in the West Asian country
Hours after US military carried out airstrikes against Iranian nuclear targets, US President Donald Trump took to social media platform Truth Social to share that he won’t be averse to regime change in the country. Trump shared a graphic with the text, “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???”
It is obviously styled after his political campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” — and it left the world guessing about the real meaning behind the message.
Strategic strikes or a push for regime change
The message, posted on Sunday (22 June), followed soon after what the Pentagon described as an “overwhelmingly successful” attack on strategic Iranian military and nuclear targets. While the Trump administration asserted that the strikes were retaliatory in response to Iranian aggression, Trump’s social media message suggested greater ambitions — namely, regime change in Tehran.
Trump’s statement is largely being read by many analysts as an appeal to bring Iran back to where it was before 1979, when Western-aligned Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi ruled the country. The Shah had close military and diplomatic relations with the US and Israel, but in the eyes of most Iranians, he was a Western puppet. His rule was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which propelled Ayatollah Khomeini to power and founded the Islamic Republic of Iran.
By calling on “greatness” for Iran, Trump could be appealing to a vision of a pro-West Iran, rather than the existing clerical regime led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Critics see this as de facto backing for regime change, a concept Trump has flirted with in the past under his presidency but never seriously pursued with military action.
Iranian reaction: Colonial arrogance
Though no official release came from the Trump campaign explaining the post, its imagery and timing raised alarm among foreign observers. Iranian authorities branded the post “colonial arrogance,” with political commentators throughout the Middle East cautioning it had the potential to fuel added instability.
US officials deny regime change agenda
However, officials in today’s U.S. administration were quick to disavow the notion of regime change. Vice President JD Vance, appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, said, “We don’t want regime change. We want to shut down their nuclear program and work towards a long-term resolution.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth seconded the thought, referring to the airstrikes as “a precision operation” and not one intended to overthrow Iran’s leadership.
“Operation Midnight Hammer” was known to only a few in Washington and CENTCOM in Tampa, Florida, highlighting the operation’s secrecy and strategic importance.
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