The White House has moved to clarify recent remarks made by President Donald Trump that seemed to suggest support for regime change in Iran.
The clarification came after the president’s Sunday statement sparked speculation that the U.S. might be shifting its approach toward Iran.
On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed reporters, saying, “The President’s posture and our military posture has not changed.”
She clarified that the president’s comments should not be seen as a shift in official U.S. policy. Instead, she noted that Trump was making a broader point.
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Leavitt added, “The president was simply raising a question that I think many people around the world are asking: If the Iranian regime refuses to give up its nuclear program or engage in talks.”
She went on to say, “If they refuse to engage in diplomacy moving forward, why shouldn’t the Iranian people rise up against this brutal terrorist regime?”
This clarification appears aimed at distancing the administration from any suggestion that it is actively seeking to topple Iran’s leadership, a move that would mark a major policy escalation.