FLORIDA: President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States cannot back down from its objectives on Iran, warning that any premature resolution to the current confrontation would only allow the problem to resurface “a few years later.”
Speaking at a ceremonial event in Florida, the president doubled down on his longstanding pledge to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, asserting that had Tehran not been stopped, “Israel and Europe would have been dismantled.”
In a series of characteristically unscripted remarks, Trump made sweeping claims about the state of Iran’s military and political leadership.
“Iran no longer has a navy, air force, or leadership,” the president said. “It’s a pity that Iran’s leadership is no longer there. They were very good people.” He then pivoted sharply, adding: “They were bad people. They killed 45,000 protesters.”
The contradictory characterization of Iranian officials did not appear to phase the president, who said he prefers not to discuss Iran “until the work is done there.” He blamed previous administrations for failing to act sooner, stating that “this work regarding Iran should have been done during the tenure of previous presidents.”
Trump also turned to global energy markets, claiming that 400 oil-laden vessels are currently idling in the Strait of Hormuz. “If these ships leave there, fuel prices will drop significantly,” he said.
The president did not provide evidence for his claims about Iran’s military or leadership structure. His remarks signal that his administration will maintain maximum pressure on Tehran, with no off-ramp short of what he termed “the goals.”
