Trump Favors Iran Regime Change as US Deploys Carrier

President Donald Trump stated on Friday that a change in power in Iran would represent the best possible outcome, as the United States bolsters its military presence in the Middle East amid ongoing tensions over Tehran's nuclear program and recent domestic unrest. Speaking to reporters after visiting troops at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Trump described the Islamic Republic's 47-year history of negotiations as endless talk without progress.

Earlier that day, Trump announced the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, from its current position in the Caribbean Sea to the Middle East. The move will reinforce the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group, which has been in the region for more than two weeks alongside guided-missile destroyers and other assets. "In case we don't make a deal, we'll need it," Trump said, adding that the carrier would depart soon. The Ford's group includes over 5,000 personnel and will effectively double the available aircraft and munitions for U.S. military operations, though it adds few unique capabilities beyond those of the Lincoln group.

The deployment follows a week of indirect talks between U.S. and Iranian officials...