Donald Trump has declared that a change in power in Iran “would be the best thing that could happen,” as his administration considers military action against Tehran amidst the deployment of a second aircraft carrier group to the Middle East.
The comments were made shortly after Trump visited troops at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, and confirmed the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford. When asked about pressing for the ousting of Iran‘s Islamic clerical rule, Trump stated, “It seems like that would be the best thing that could happen. For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking and talking.”
While the president had recently prioritized Iran scaling back its nuclear program, he indicated on Friday that this was only one aspect of the concessions the US demands.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who recently met Trump in Washington, has advocated for any deal to include steps to neutralize Iran’s ballistic missile program and end its funding for proxy groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.
Trump remarked that targeting Tehran’s nuclear program, which suffered setbacks in US military strikes last year, “If we do it, that would be the least of the mission.” Iran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, though it had been enriching uranium up to 60 per cent purity before a conflict in June.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, is being dispatched from the Caribbean Sea to the Middle East to bolster other warships and military assets already in the region. This deployment follows days after Trump hinted at another round of talks with Iran, which did not materialise despite Tehran’s security officials exchanging messages with US intermediaries in Oman and Qatar. “In case we don’t make a deal, we’ll need it,” Trump told reporters regarding the second carrier, adding, “It’ll be leaving very soon.”
Gulf Arab nations have cautioned that any attack could ignite another regional conflict in a Middle East still grappling with the Israel-Hamas war. Internally, Iranians are observing 40-day mourning ceremonies for those killed in a bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month, intensifying pressure on the sanctions-battered Islamic Republic.
The Ford will join the USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying guided-missile destroyers, which have been in the region for over two weeks. US forces recently shot down an Iranian drone that approached the Lincoln, on the same day Iran attempted to stop a US-flagged ship in the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite the military build-up, Trump offered measured hope for a deal, stating: “Give us the deal that they should have given us the first time. If they give us the right deal, we won’t do that.”
The Ford’s new assignment marks a swift turnaround, having been sent from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean last October as part of a military presence leading to the capture of then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. This move appears to contradict the administration’s national security strategy, which emphasises the Western Hemisphere. US Southern Command affirmed its forces would continue to “counter illicit activities and malign actors in the Western Hemisphere,” with spokesperson Col. Emanuel Ortiz stating, “While force posture evolves, our operational capability does not.”
The Ford strike group will add over 5,000 troops to the Middle East, effectively doubling the available aircraft and munitions for military planners. Given its current position, it will likely take weeks for the Ford to reach the coast of Iran. Mr Trump has repeatedly threatened force to compel Iran to constrain its nuclear programme and over its crackdown on protests. Indirect talks in Oman a week ago failed, with Mr Trump warning Tehran that failure to agree would be “very traumatic.” Similar talks last year broke down, leading to a 12-day war and US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites. Asked about new negotiations, Trump said: “I think they’ll be successful. And if they’re not, it’s going to be a bad day for Iran, very bad.”
The USS Ford, which first set sail in late June 2025, means its crew will soon have been deployed for eight months. While the duration of its Middle East stay is unclear, this move suggests an unusually long deployment. The Navy’s top officer, Adm. Daryl Caudle, previously stated that extending the Ford’s time at sea would be “highly disruptive” and that he was “a big non-fan of extensions.”
Carriers typically deploy for six or seven months. Adm. Caudle noted that exceeding this “disrupts lives, it disrupts things … funerals that were planned, marriages that were planned, babies that were planned.” He added that extending the Ford would complicate maintenance and upkeep, disrupting repair schedules and increasing wear and tear. For comparison, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower’s nine-month deployment to the Middle East in 2023 and 2024, engaging Houthi rebels, led to it blowing past its scheduled maintenance completion date. Adm. Caudle has expressed a preference for deploying smaller, newer ships over consistently relying on large aircraft carriers.
Source: independent.co.uk