U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said a change in power in Iran “would be the best thing that could happen,” as the Pentagon sent a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East and officials disclosed preparations for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long military operations if ordered.
Two U.S. officials told Reuters that the military is preparing for a potentially prolonged campaign against Iran, a move that could mark a far more serious conflict than previously seen between the two countries. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the planning, said the preparations raise the stakes for ongoing diplomacy.
Trump, speaking to U.S. troops at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, said it had “been difficult to make a deal” with Iran.
“Sometimes you have to have fear. That's the only thing that really will get the situation taken care of,” he said.
Asked if he wanted regime change in Iran, Trump responded that it “seems like that would be the best thing that could happen.” He declined to say who he wanted to take over but added, “there are people.”
“For 47 years, they've been talking and talking and talking,” Trump said. “In the meantime, we've lost a lot of lives while they talk. Legs blown off, arms blown off, faces blown off. We've been going on for a long time.”
The White House said Trump has not ruled out military action. “President Trump has all options on the table with regard to Iran,” spokesperson Anna Kelly said. “He listens to a variety of perspectives on any given issue, but makes the final decision based on what is best for our country and national security.”
The Pentagon declined to comment.
U.S. officials said the carrier USS Gerald R. Ford will join the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East, along with fighter aircraft, guided-missile destroyers and other assets. The Ford, the newest and largest U.S. aircraft carrier, can carry more than 75 aircraft, including F-18 Super Hornets and E-2 Hawkeye early warning planes. One official said it would take at least a week to reach the region.
“With only 11 aircraft carriers in the U.S. military's arsenal, they are a scarce resource and their schedules are usually set well in advance,” officials said. The Ford has been at sea since June 2025 and was previously operating in the Caribbean.
Asked why a second carrier was being deployed, Trump said: “In case we don't make a deal, we'll need it ... if we need it, we'll have it ready.”
Last year, the United States carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. June’s “Midnight Hammer” operation was described as a one-off attack, with stealth bombers flying from the United States. Iran responded with a limited retaliatory strike on a U.S. base in Qatar.
This time, officials said planning is more complex. In a sustained campaign, the U.S. military could hit Iranian state and security facilities, not just nuclear infrastructure. The officials said the United States fully expects Iran to retaliate, potentially leading to back-and-forth strikes over a period of time.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have warned they could retaliate against any U.S. military base in the region if Iranian territory is struck. The U.S. maintains bases across the Middle East, including in Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.
Trump has repeatedly threatened strikes if no agreement is reached. On Thursday, he warned the alternative to a diplomatic solution would “be very traumatic, very traumatic.”
Inside Iran, tensions remain high weeks after security forces crushed nationwide protests that began in late December over spiralling prices and quickly expanded into calls to end the country’s theocratic rule.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has put the number of arrests at more than 50,000 following the crackdown. The Associated Press said it has been unable to verify the figure. The Committee for Monitoring the Status of Detained Protesters has verified more than 2,200 arrests, including 107 university students, 82 children as young as 13, 19 lawyers and 106 doctors.
Security forces have conducted raids on homes and workplaces, with detainees often held incommunicado for days or weeks. The Human Rights Activists News Agency has counted more than 7,000 dead, while Iran’s government said on Jan. 21 that 3,117 people were killed.
