The president repeated his premature declaration of a total military victory over Iran in a morning Truth Social post attacking America’s NATO allies for not joining his war:
Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER! They didn’t want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran. Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices. So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!
Speaking with reporters outside the White House on Friday afternoon, Trump was asked about what he meant when he said the war was “militarily won.” He responded:
Oh, I think we’ve won. We’ve knocked out their navy, their air force. We’ve knocked out their anti-aircraft. We’ve knocked out everything. We’re roaming free. From a military standpoint, all they’re doing is clogging up the strait. But from a military standpoint, they’re finished.
He also said the Strait of Hormuz would eventually “open itself,” and when asked whether Israel would end the war when he did, Trump replied:
We want more or less similar things. You know what we want? Victory. Both of us. That’s what we’ve got.
Because the U.S. is winning, the president suggested:
Said Trump in an evening Truth Social post:
We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the Terrorist Regime of Iran: (1) Completely degrading Iranian Missile Capability, Launchers, and everything else pertaining to them. (2) Destroying Iran’s Defense Industrial Base. (3) Eliminating their Navy and Air Force, including Anti Aircraft Weaponry. (4) Never allowing Iran to get even close to Nuclear Capability, and always being in a position where the U.S.A. can quickly and powerfully react to such a situation, should it take place. (5) Protecting, at the highest level, our Middle Eastern Allies, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and others. The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it — The United States does not! If asked, we will help these Countries in their Hormuz efforts, but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated. Importantly, it will be an easy Military Operation for them.
However, not long after that:
From Axios’s report on Trump’s “winding down” post:
A U.S. official said he doesn’t think Trump’s post signals an imminent end to the war. “He just said we are getting close. In the meantime, the U.S. military is striking hard and continuously. It will be a couple of weeks.” …
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the “President and the Pentagon predicted it would take approximately 4-6 weeks to achieve this mission. Tomorrow marks week 3.” Another White House official echoed the message that Trump was emphasizing that the mission was on target.
