Trump Says U.S. Should Not Get Involved in Iranian Government Change

 

In a recent interview with podcaster Patrick Bet-David on October 17, former President Donald Trump shared his perspective on Iran, stating that he prefers not to involve the U.S. too deeply in efforts to change Iran’s government. Trump’s remarks come as tensions surrounding Iran’s nuclear ambitions remain a critical issue in international politics.

During the interview, Trump touched on several key aspects of his administration's approach to Iran, including the imposition of sanctions and the controversial decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Reflecting on U.S. policy toward Iran, Trump expressed a desire for Iran's success but emphasized that preventing the country from acquiring nuclear weapons is paramount. He said, "The only thing is, they can't have a nuclear weapon." 

When asked about the possibility of Iran returning to the rule of the Shah, which ended in the 1970s, Trump maintained that the U.S. should avoid overextending itself in such matters. "We can't get totally involved in all that. We can't run ourselves, let's face it," Trump remarked, underscoring his administration’s restraint in directly advocating for regime change.

Throughout his presidency and post-presidency, Trump has consistently voiced strong opposition to Iran's development of nuclear weapons. In August, he reiterated this stance during a press conference in New Jersey, where he stated, "I'm not looking to be bad to Iran...we're going to be friendly, I hope, but they can't have a nuclear weapon."

Trump’s hardline position on Iran's nuclear ambitions became especially clear in 2018 when his administration withdrew from the JCPOA and reimposed sanctions that had been previously lifted under the agreement. More recently, Trump suggested that Israel should take preemptive action against Iran's nuclear capabilities, stating at a campaign event in North Carolina that Israel should "hit the nuclear first and worry about the rest later." This sharply contrasts with President Joe Biden’s call for Israel to respond "proportionally" without directly targeting Iran's nuclear infrastructure.

Bet-David, the host of the PBD podcast, is an entrepreneur and first-generation American whose family fled Iran after the revolution. His weekly podcast covers a range of topics including politics, current events, and business, offering a platform for high-profile interviews like the one with Trump.