US flip flop on Iran: Trump claims war is ‘pretty much’ over, but Pentagon says ‘we’ve only just begun’

Tensions in the Middle East escalated on Tuesday after Iran launched a coordinated wave of drone and missile strikes across the Persian Gulf. The attacks came amid conflict involving the United States and Israel, raising fears of a wider regional confrontation. The strikes occurred even as US President Donald Trump suggested that the war might be nearing its end, creating confusion over the actual state of the conflict. ## Trump claims war is close to ending Speaking in an interview and press conference, Trump said US military operations had severely weakened Iran’s forces and were progressing faster than anticipated. “I think the war is very complete, pretty much,” Trump said in an interview with CBS News, adding that the campaign was “very far ahead” of the four-to-five-week timeline he had earlier suggested. He also claimed that strikes carried out by the United States and Israel had heavily damaged Iran’s military capabilities. ## Conflicting messages Despite Trump’s remarks suggesting the war was nearly over, messages from US defence officials indicated a different reality. A rapid response account from the US Defence Department posted on X that the United States had “only just begun to fight,” echoing earlier comments by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said in a television interview that the conflict was only in its early stages. Trump himself later delivered more forceful remarks while speaking to House Republicans in Florida. “We’ve already won in many ways, but we haven’t won enough,” he said. “We go forward more determined than ever to achieve ultimate victory,” Trump added. At a subsequent news conference, he added that the United States would not stop until the enemy was “totally and decisively defeated.” ## Claims about Iran’s military strength Trump also offered conflicting assessments of Iran’s remaining military power. In one interview, he claimed that Iran had effectively lost all its military capabilities. “They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no air force,” he said, adding that Iran had “shot everything they have to shoot.” However, during the same news conference, he appeared to soften those claims, saying “most of Iran’s naval power has been sunk” and that the country’s missile capacity had been reduced to “about 10 percent,” according to CNN reports. He also suggested that Iran’s drone capabilities had dropped significantly and could soon be eliminated. ## Disputed comments on Iran’s leadership Trump’s comments about Iran’s leadership were similarly inconsistent. At one point, he said Iran had lost all of its leadership, but later clarified that “two levels of leadership are gone.” Iran recently appointed the late Khamenei’s second-eldest son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as its new supreme leader following the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump said he was disappointed by the choice, suggesting it would lead to “more of the same problem for the country.” ## Controversy over school bombing remarks Trump also faced scrutiny over remarks he made about a deadly strike on an elementary school in Iran. Over the weekend, he suggested that Iran itself was responsible for the attack, despite reports indicating the strike may have involved a US weapon. When pressed about the claim at a later news conference, Trump softened his stance, saying he did not have enough information and that the incident was still under investigation. “I just didn’t know enough about it,” he said, adding that he would accept the findings of the investigation once they were released. The Express Global Desk at The Indian Express delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. 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