President Donald Trump said he is not ready to declare victory in the war with Iran, even as he asserted that the United States has severely weakened the country both militarily and economically, The Hill reported on Monday.
"No, I'm not going to do that. There's no reason to," Trump said. "I just say they're decimated.
"I think that we've done damage to them."
Trump added, "If we left right now, it would take them 10 years and more to rebuild, but I'm still not declaring it."
Asked whether he is considering sending American ground troops into Iran, Trump did not directly answer the question.
The remarks came a day after the president claimed the United States had defeated Iran "both militarily, economically, and in every other way" in a post on Truth Social.
Trump on Friday ordered what he described as "one of the most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East," saying the operation "totally obliterated every military target in Iran's crown jewel, Kharg Island" — a critical hub for Iran's oil export infrastructure.
The escalation followed remarks last week by Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who said the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz would remain closed for the duration of the conflict.
The threat to the waterway — one of the world's most important shipping lanes for global oil supplies — has heightened concerns about potential economic disruption as the war continues.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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