“This mission was NOT, was NOT about regime change.”
—Pete Hegseth

He adds that Trump authorized the operation to “neutralize threats to our national interests presented by the Iranian nuclear program.”

Trump didn’t authorize this strike to provoke Iran into war. He did it to remove the excuse for war. Specifically, the excuse Israel has used for years to justify escalating the conflict: “Iran is weeks away from a nuke.”

Importantly—Iran hasn’t retaliated, because their red line wasn’t crossed
They’ve made it clear: the red line is Khamenei. Not centrifuges. Not bunkers. Not reactors

Trump seems to understand that perfectly

Let’s be honest: if this strike was meant to provoke regime change, it would’ve looked very different. Instead, it was narrowly framed. Strategic. Controlled

And now the message from Trump’s circle confirms it: no appetite for regime change, no interest in a regional war.

Trump neutralized the threat and the narrative—both in one move