White House walks back Trump 'Make Iran Great Again,' regime change calls

Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News on Jun 23, 2025

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The White House Monday sought to walk back President Donald Trump’s calls to “Make Iran Great Again” and for a “regime change” after the massive U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend.

Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt insisted the president was simply asking if the Iranian people might want a new government, not suggesting the U.S. would lead a fight to overthrow the Islamic republic.

“[Trump] believes the Iranian people can control their own destiny,” Leavitt said. “If the Iranian regime refuses to come to a peaceful diplomatic solution … why shouldn’t the Iranian people take away [its] power?”

Leavitt was spinning Trump’s provocative “MIGA” post on social media over the weekend that appeared to mark a shift in his administration’s claim that the powerful air strikes were not intended to interfere in Iran’s internal politics.

“It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘regime change,’ but if the current Iranian regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a regime change?” Trump posted on his social media site Sunday.

Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had also previously insisted that Trump and the U.S. had no interest in overthrowing the Iranian government.

Trump planned to meet with his national security team later Monday amid mixed reports about the effectiveness of the massive attacks on Iran’s nuclear operation.

The U.S. attack on Iran sparked a surprisingly muted reaction from world markets, which often turn volatile after unpredictable geopolitical events.

Wall Street climbed modestly at the opening bell and oil prices traded lower, suggesting traders do not believe the fighting will spread into a wider war or lead to widespread supply disruptions.

Political reaction was also somewhat less outspoken than might have been expected.

Democratic congressional leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries complained that they were not informed of the strikes.

Some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, including progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, and conservatives like Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, said the military action was unconstitutional and called for the White House to seek authorization from Congress for any future attacks.

Sen. Tim Kane, D-Virginia, introduced a measure directing the removal of the U.S. military from hostilities against Iran that are not authorized by Congress. A similar resolution was proposed by lawmakers from both parties in the U.S. House.

Trump’s Republican allies control both houses of Congress and GOP leaders may be able to short-circuit any protest votes, especially if there is no more U.S. military action on the immediate horizon.