'For decades...': Tulsi Gabbard declares end of US ‘regime change’ policy under Donald Trump

US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard declared that America’s long-standing policy of “regime change or nation building” in the Middle East had ended under President Donald Trump, signaling a major strategic shift toward economic stability and regional peace.   

Speaking at the Manama Dialogue, an annual security summit organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Gabbard on October 31 said Washington had moved away from decades of interventionist foreign policy that often backfired. 

“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 barely understood — and walking away with more enemies than allies.” 

Gabbard, a former Congresswoman from Hawaii and a US Army National Guard veteran, said the consequences of that approach were devastating. 

“The results: trillions spent, countless lives lost and, in many cases, the creation of greater security threats,” she added. 

Under Trump’s second term, the United States has replaced its previous emphasis on democracy promotion and human rights with a focus on economic prosperity and regional stability. The new approach has been reflected in recent diplomatic and military moves — including a ceasefire that halted the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites that led to an end of Israel’s 12-day conflict with Iran. 

Gabbard described the Gaza ceasefire as “fragile” and acknowledged that Iran remains a concern, citing fresh signs of activity at the country’s nuclear facilities as reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). 

“The road ahead will not be simple or easy, but the president is very committed down this road,” she said. 

The comments mark a reaffirmation of Gabbard’s long-held anti-interventionist stance, consistent with her positions during her time in Congress and her own 2020 presidential campaign, when she criticised US involvement in overseas wars.