BREAKING: Trump Repeats Regime Change Claim And Adds He Never Intended It Despite Encouraging Uprising

According to a report by Sky News on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, US President Donald Trump has once again asserted that the United States has effectively achieved “regime change” in Iran, while also claiming he never explicitly intended to pursue such an outcome remarks that add to ongoing confusion over Washington’s stated war objectives.

Speaking during an interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Trump said the situation in Iran amounted to regime change “no matter what you want to call it,” while insisting it was not originally his declared aim.

“It is regime change, no matter what you want to call it, which is not something I said I was going to do, but I’ve done it, indirectly maybe, but I’ve done it,” Trump stated.

The comments have drawn scrutiny, as the US president has at various times both denied and appeared to endorse the idea of regime change in Iran. Critics have pointed out that despite significant instability, leadership transitions, and the deaths of senior figures, Iran’s core governing and security institutions including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) remain intact and continue to exercise substantial authority. The country’s supreme leadership structure also remains unchanged, further complicating claims that a full regime change has occurred.

Trump’s remarks come amid broader uncertainty over the strategic objectives of US involvement in the conflict with Iran. Throughout the course of tensions, the administration has issued varying statements ranging from preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons to more expansive rhetoric suggesting political transformation in Tehran.

At the beginning of the conflict, Trump and senior officials, including the defence secretary, publicly suggested that regime change was either a potential outcome or an implicit goal. The administration also made repeated statements about weakening Iran’s military capabilities, including its naval forces.

However, Trump’s latest comments appear to contradict earlier remarks in which he denied seeking regime change. In his CNBC interview, he said such an objective was “not something I said I was going to do,” despite previous public statements that appeared to encourage political upheaval inside Iran.

In a speech announcing military action on 28 February, Trump addressed the Iranian population directly, saying: “The hour of your freedom is at hand… when we are finished, take over your government, it will be yours to take. This will be, probably, your only chance for generations.”

He has also previously referenced domestic unrest in Iran, citing protests tied to economic hardship. In earlier comments, he alleged widespread violence against demonstrators, claiming: “They’ve killed 42,000 people over the last two months… many of them hung,” though these figures have not been independently verified.

In January, Trump similarly encouraged Iranian citizens to challenge their leadership through social media posts on his Truth Social platform, writing: “Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!!… HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”