Trump Claims U.S. is 'Making Significant Progress' in Iran Without Defining Conflict's End
President Trump addressed reporters at a press conference on March 9 at his Doral, Florida resort, discussing the ongoing military operations in Iran as the U.S. enters its second week of strikes.
“We’re making significant progress toward achieving our military objectives. Some might argue we’re nearly there,” he stated, emphasizing the effectiveness of U.S. actions. “We’ve effectively neutralized every single force in Iran, and most of their naval capabilities have been destroyed.”
While highlighting these successes, Trump noted that the U.S. has refrained from targeting critical infrastructure, such as electricity production sites. “We’re not looking to strike those unless absolutely necessary. They’re easy targets but could cause severe damage if hit. We’re monitoring the situation closely before making any decisions,” he explained.
Additionally, he confirmed that U.S. forces have begun targeting Iranian drone facilities and missile production sites, yet he refrained from providing a clear endpoint for the conflict, suggesting an ongoing mission.
“We could label this a tremendous success right now, or we could escalate further, and we will escalate if needed,” Trump remarked, indicating a willingness to continue military actions.
When pressed about the war's conclusion, he defined victory as preventing Iran from resuming nuclear weapon development. “Victory will be when they’re not starting the next day to build a nuclear weapon,” he asserted.
Trump sidestepped questions regarding a recent airstrike that reportedly killed over 150 individuals at an Iranian girls' school, which evidence suggests may have involved an American Tomahawk missile. “I haven’t seen the footage; it could have been another country’s missile,” he stated, despite Iran not being known to possess Tomahawk missiles.
“A Tomahawk is a common weapon; it’s sold to various nations, but that’s under investigation,” he added, indicating a willingness to accept responsibility if the findings confirm U.S. involvement.
While discussing rising oil and gas prices, which could have significant political implications, Trump claimed they impact other nations more than the U.S. “It doesn’t really affect us,” he insisted.
However, crude oil prices surged above $100 per barrel due to Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route. Trump warned that Iran cannot “hold the world hostage” regarding oil supply and cautioned that any attempts would lead to swift U.S. retaliation. “If they try, we’ll take them out so quickly they’ll never recover,” he declared.
