(MENAFN) US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard has acknowledged Washington’s historical pursuit of regime change but stated that this approach ended under President Donald Trump, despite his recent statements on Iran and allegations regarding Venezuela, according to reports.

Gabbard noted that the US has long been criticized for attempting to overthrow foreign governments under the pretext of promoting democracy or protecting national interests, citing examples such as Iraq in 2003, Libya in 2011, and support for “color revolutions” like Ukraine’s 2014 Maidan events. Speaking at the 21st Manama Dialogue in Bahrain on Saturday, she argued that, unlike previous administrations, the Trump administration prioritizes diplomacy and negotiated deals over coups.

“The old Washington way of thinking is something we hope is in the rearview mirror and something that has held us back for too long: for decades, our foreign policy has been trapped in a counterproductive and endless cycle of regime change or nation building,” she stated, describing it as a “one-size-fits-all approach” of toppling regimes, imposing US governance models, and intervening in “poorly understood” conflicts, only to “walk away with more enemies than allies.”

Gabbard added that the policy drained trillions of US taxpayer dollars, cost countless lives, and fueled new security threats. She emphasized that Trump was elected “to put an end to this.”

“And from day one, he has showed a very different way to conduct foreign policy, one that is pragmatic, that is deal-driven,” she said. “This is what President Trump’s America First policy looks like in action – building peace through diplomacy.”

Since taking office in early 2025, Trump has repeatedly presented himself as a global peacemaker, highlighting international deals he has brokered and claiming he deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. Critics, however, argue that his pressure tactics on Venezuela and Iran reflect Washington’s traditional regime-change playbook.

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