 "From Hawaii to Iran: Trump's remark spotlights US history of regime change")
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday declared a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, calling it a “complete and total ceasefire” after a "12-day war". This comes after he appeared to endorse the idea of regime change in Iran - claiming to 'Make Iran Great Again' - despite his administration’s earlier insistence that recent airstrikes were not aimed at toppling the Islamic Republic’s leadership.
Although US officials had previously asserted that the recent Operation Midnight Hammer airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites were intended solely as a deterrent, Trump's comment reopened discussions about America's long history of regime change around the world.
For over a century, the United States has been engaged in the removal of foreign governments - overtly and covertly. Many of these actions have been sold to policymakers at home and globally as part of geopolitical calculations, in response to market forces, or as part of the Cold War struggle with the Soviet Union. While many of these operations were framed as actions to stop communism or restore democracy in a foreign land, the result of many of these operations has only fostered instability and made countries susceptible to dictatorship.
Hawaii, 1893: The overthrow of a sovereign monarchy
The story of the US meddling in other nations’ affairs to bring ‘democracy, free market, and civilisation’ dates back to over a century. In January 1893, a group of white American settlers, backed by a US diplomat, overthrew Queen Liliʻuokalani of Hawaii. This came just six years after her brother, King Kalakaua, had been forced to sign a new constitution at gunpoint.
Hawaii was annexed by the United States in 1898 and became the 50th state in 1959. A century after the coup, in 1993, the US formally apologised for the illegal overthrow and seizure of 1.8 million acres of land from the native Hawaiian people.
Cuba, 1933: From military coups to the fear of Red
After occupying Cuba in 1898, the US formally recognised Cuban independence in 1902, but retained the right to intervene. That right was exercised repeatedly to protect American sugar and fruit businesses.
In 1933, the US supported Fulgencio Batista's coup. But when Fidel Castro ousted Batista in 1959 and declared a communist regime, the US launched the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, an unsuccessful CIA-backed attempt to remove Castro.
Iran, 1953: Cold War and oil demand
Through a covert operation called Operation Ajax, the CIA was able remove the democratically-elected Prime Minister of Iran, Mohammad Mosaddegh, and restore the power of monarch Shah Muhammad Reza Pahlavi. Although US officials cited fears of Soviet influence in Iran, historians argue the motive was much more about protecting American and British oil interests.
The coup caused long-lasting consequences, creating a deep anti-American sentiment in Iran and laid the groundwork for the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
Guatemala, 1954: Corporate interests
The CIA-led Operation PBSuccess ousted Guatemalan President Jacobo Arbenz after fears arose that his land reforms would affect the US-based United Fruit Company. Many US officials involved had ties to the company, including CIA Director Allen Dulles. The coup replaced Arbenz with a military regime and sparked decades of civil unrest.
Congo, 1960–65: The fear of Soviet control
After the Congo gained independence from Belgium, its prime minister Patrice Lumumba was deposed and subsequently killed with the tacit support of the United States, over fears of Soviet control. The CIA endorsed a military coup by Mobutu Sese Seko in 1965, who would become the dictator of the Congo until 1997.
This era, called the 'Congo Crisis', undermined the stability of Central Africa and furthered priorities of foreign policy in the Cold War period.
Dominican Republic, 1961: CIA supplied weapons
Rafael Trujillo's violent dictatorship ended when dissidents ambushed and murdered him using weapons supplied by the CIA. Subsequently, the Church Committee found that the CIA did materially assist in funding and supporting the dissidents planning for the assassination, but denied any control or direct involvement.
Vietnam, 1963: The coup before JFK's assassination
In 1963, South Vietnamese president Ngo Dinh Diem was overthrown and assassinated in a US-backed coup. The Pentagon Papers later confirmed the CIA’s involvement. The Kennedy administration believed Diem’s repression of Buddhists weakened his position in the war against North Vietnam.
Brazil, 1964: Fears of another “China” in Latin America
Concerned that Brazil’s left-leaning President Joao Goulart might align with the Soviet bloc, the US supported a military coup that brought General Humberto Castello Branco to power. CIA documents confirm that Washington supplied arms and fuel to coup backers. The military ruled Brazil until 1985.
Chile, 1973: Bringing Pinochet in the scene
When Chile elected socialist Salvador Allende in 1970, the US immediately began plotting to undermine him. By 1973, General Augusto Pinochet led a military coup. While US involvement in the actual coup remains debated, declassified conversations show that president Nixon and his national security advisor Henry Kissinger were pleased with the outcome. Kissinger remarked: “We helped them… created the conditions.”
Pinochet ruled Chile until 1990.
Nicaragua, 1980s: Fighting socialism by training right-wing
To fight Nicaragua’s socialist Sandinista government, the CIA armed and trained right-wing Contras. To fund this, the Reagan administration secretly sold weapons to Iran, violating US law. The Iran-Contra Affair became a national scandal in 1986.
By 1990, the US supported Violeta Chamorro’s electoral victory over the Sandinistas, ending Daniel Ortega’s rule, although he later returned to power.
Afghanistan, 2001-2021: Occupation to collapse
After the 9/11 attacks, the US invaded Afghanistan, toppling the Taliban and establishing an interim government led by Hamid Karzai. Despite 20 years of effort, the US-backed administration collapsed in 2021 after American withdrawal, returning the Taliban to power.
Iraq, 2003: Claims of weapons of mass destruction
The US invaded Iraq in 2003 on the false pretext of its supposed possession of weapons of mass destruction, resulting in the ousting of Saddam Hussein. The resulting occupation destabilised the country resulting in civil war, sectarian violence, and the rise of the Islamic State. And while the US withdrew in 2011, destabilisation of Iraq continues.
Covert and failed operations: The other side of US interventions
While some regime changes succeeded, others either failed or were shrouded in secrecy for years.
- Syria (1956-57): The CIA's plans for an overthrow of the Syrian government in the form of staged border incidents were exposed as plots that failed.
- Albania (1949): US-UK plans to foment a revolt against the communist regime were foiled due to Soviet counterintelligence.
- France and Italy (1940s-50s): The CIA funded centre-right parties in order to prevent electoral victories by communists is another covert intervention that exemplifies election interference.
- Syria (2010's): The CIA trained anti-Assad rebels under Operation Timber Sycamore, but the CIA was unable to effectuate the removal of the Syrian president and was drawn into complex entanglements.
The US has pursued regime change for decades, consistently intervening to oppose communist ideals or protect its economic interests. American interventions have repeatedly resulted in prolonged conflict, civil unrest, or authoritarianism. While some operations were public, others remained secret for decades, only revealed through declassified documents and Senate investigations later.
Trump may have announced a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, motivated by his desire for a Nobel Peace Prize, but his penchant for policy flip-flops casts uncertainty over his future actions.