Five days after a joint US-Israel attack on Iran, questions remain over President Donald Trump’s motives and objectives. Initially, Trump and his administration said the goal was to destroy Iran’s nuclear program and prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons. Vice President JD Vance reiterated this aim in a television interview. However, the administration’s reasoning evolved over subsequent days, with Trump later emphasizing the destruction of Iran’s missile and naval capabilities and the elimination of proxy groups in the region.

Trump subsequently suggested that regime change in Iran was necessary, telling Iranians they would take leadership after a transition. Yet Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth contradicted this, stating that regime change was not the United States’ goal, though he acknowledged leadership changes had occurred. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later argued that the attack was preemptive, as US forces would have become targets once Israel struck Iran.

The lack of a clear post-attack plan has drawn sharp criticism in Congress. Democrats accused the administration of acting without credible intelligence or a defined strategy, warning that the US could face a prolonged conflict.