US Ends Regime Change Policy Under Trump Era
On October 31, 2025, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard spoke at the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, addressing officials from across the Middle East. She announced a historic shift in American foreign policy, stating that the United States had officially ended its long-standing approach of regime change and nation building under President Donald Trump.
The announcement, reported by the Associated Press and confirmed by The Washington Post and UNN, was made during the annual security summit organized by the International Institute for Security Studies. It marks a broader realignment of U.S. strategy in global affairs.
“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, intervening in conflicts we barely understood, and walking away with more enemies than allies.”
“The results: trillions spent, countless lives lost, and in many cases, the creation of greater security threats.”
Gabbard, a former Congresswoman from Hawaii and a veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard, emphasized that this policy change reflects a commitment to a more restrained and pragmatic U.S. engagement abroad.
Author’s Summary
A major policy shift under President Trump has officially ended America’s era of regime change operations, signaling a move toward pragmatic global engagement.