While former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently accused the United States and Pakistan of orchestrating coups in her country, Intelligence Chief Tulsi Gabbard has now admitted that the country has orchestrated coups in seven countries in the last 40 years.
Tulsi Gabbard stated that the US has now ended its old policy of regime change and nation-building under President Donald Trump. Tulsi Gabbard stated that the US no longer intends to stage coups anywhere.
US Changes Policy
Gabbard stated that the US has changed its old policy. She stated, “We had to spend trillions of rupees for this work. This will no longer happen. In the last 40 years, the US has been accused of orchestrating coups in seven countries.” These include Panama in 1989, Haiti in 1994 and 2004, Afghanistan in 2001, Iraq in 2003, Honduras in 2009, Libya in 2011, and Bangladesh in 2024.
Tulsi Gabbard made this statement at the Manama Dialogue—an annual security conference organized by the International Institute for Security Studies (IISS)—held in Bahrain.
Why the US is Changing Policy
For decades, Tulsi Gabbard, a former Hawaii Congresswoman and former US Army National Guard officer, said, “For decades, our foreign policy has been caught in a cycle of regime change (coups) or nation-building.”
She further stated, “It was a policy that involved overthrowing governments, attempting to impose our systems of government on others, intervening in conflicts we didn’t even fully understand, and ultimately creating more enemies than allies.” Consequently, she further stated, “We will now stop this policy.”
However, serious challenges remain for the Trump administration in the Middle East. In her speech, Gabbard acknowledged that the ceasefire in Gaza remains fragile. She also acknowledged that Iran remains a concern, as the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency recently reported that activity has been observed at the country’s nuclear sites. Gabbard said the path ahead will not be easy, but the president is fully committed to it.
What will Trump’s policy be now?
Praising US President Donald Trump, Gabbard said that during Trump’s second term, US policy will be to promote democracy and focus on global economic prosperity and regional stability.
Gabbard’s statement reiterates Trump’s statements earlier this year, in which he stated that the US will now focus on economic development and regional stability rather than coups in the Middle East.
What did she say about the Gaza War?
Gabbard described the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza as still fragile. She acknowledged that China remains a challenge in the Middle East. Citing a report released by the International Atomic Energy Agency, Gabbard said that activity at Iran’s nuclear facilities indicates new threats.
