A brief
history of the Iran War – in Big Talk.
__________
“Iran keeps playing us for suckers.”
President
Donald J. Trump
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AS PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP has often reminded us, the Iran War ended long ago and we won! It was over in March, and over in April, again. The Iranians had no cards, we were told. The president won the war again in May and had so much fun that he won it in June, for good measure.
At that point, The New York Times offered a collection of the president’s comments on how the war was going.
I have diligently added examples to flesh out their list and bring it forward to today.
***
President Trump, speaking to the Iranian people on the night the war began:
“The
hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don’t leave your home. It’s
very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are
finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be,
probably, your only chance for generations. For many years, you have asked for
America’s help, but you never got it. No President was willing to do what I am
willing to do tonight. Now you have a President who is giving you what you
want.” Fox News, February 28.
“There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” Truth Social post on March 6.
“I think
the war is very complete, pretty much. [Iran has] no navy, no communications,
they’ve got no air force. Their missiles are down to a scatter. Their drones
are being blown up all over the place, including their manufacturing of drones.
If you look, they have nothing left. There’s nothing left in a military sense.”
Trump to CBS News, March 9.
“They’ve shot everything they have to shoot, and they better not try anything cute or it’s going to be the end of that country. … If they do anything bad, that would be the end of Iran and you’d never hear the name again.” Trump to CBS News, March 9.
(The U.S., says the president, “could do a lot” and would soon open the Strait of Hormuz.)
That same afternoon the
Department of Defense posted on X, “We have Only Just
Begun to Fight” and “no mercy.”
“No, in my opinion, based on
what I’ve seen, that was done by Iran. We think it was done by Iran – because
they are very inaccurate, as you know, with their munitions. They have no
accuracy whatsoever. It was done by Iran.” Trump blames Iran for hitting a
girls’ school, killing 175 students and faculty. March 7, the president replies to a question on Air Force One.
“I think the war is very
complete, pretty much. [Iran has] no navy, no communications, they’ve got no
air force. Their missiles are down to a scatter. Their drones are being blown
up all over the place, including their manufacturing of drones. … If you look,
they have nothing left. There’s nothing left in a military sense.” March 9, in call to CBS, from his golf club in Doral, Florida.
Initial reports from the U.S.
military indicate the school was hit by a Tomahawk cruise missile, a staple of the U.S. attack capabilities. Trump
is asked by a reporter if he takes responsibility. “I don’t know about it,” he
replies. March 11, speaking to gathered reporters outside the White House.
The president describes the
attack on Iran as a “a little excursion that will keep us out of war.” He also
says attacking Iran has been “easier than we thought.” March 11, speaking to reporters at a stop in Ohio.
“We’ve won. We’ve won. You never
like to say too early you won. We won. In the first hour it was over.” Trump, speaking in Hebron, Kentucky, March 12.
“Look, we took an excursion. We had the greatest economy ever. Still do. And we have to do a little excursion to get rid of mad people, crazy people that have – that want to have nuclear weapons.” Trump, calling in to Fox News, March 13.
“... Iran, which is totally
defeated and wants a deal ...” Truth Social post
on March 13.
Trump claims a former president told him he approved of his decision to go to war with Iran. “And yet every president knew. I’ve spoken to a certain president, who I like, actually, a past president, a former president. He said, ‘I wish I did it, I wish I did,’ but they didn’t do it. I’m doing it.” March 17, talking to the Board of Trustees at the Kennedy Center.
(All four living presidents quickly deny saying that.)
The White House lifts sanctions,
allowing Iran to sell oil to the rest of the world. “In essence,” Treasury
Secretary Scott Bessent explains, “we will be using the Iranian barrels against
Tehran to keep the price down as we continue Operation Epic Fury.”
In other words, we have outfoxed
the Iranians by agreeing to let them sell valuable oil so that they can buy
more missiles and drones from Russian and China. Absolute genius! Bessent post on X, March 20.
“We have had very, very strong talks...” President Trump speaking to a press gaggle, March 23.
“VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE
CONVERSATIONS ...” Truth Social post on March 23.
“They are ‘begging’ us to make a
deal ...” Truth Social post on March 26.
“Of course they’re negotiating,
they’ve been obliterated. Who wouldn’t negotiate?” Remarks on March 26.
“They’re begging to make a deal,
not me.” Trump comment on Iranian leaders, March 26, cabinet meeting.
“Time is running out – 48 hours
before all Hell will reign [sic] down on them.” Truth Social post, April 4.
“We have all the cards, Iran has
none. We are in this military operation for 32 days and they have been
eviscerated.” President Trump, U.S. State Department video, April 4.
“[T]he entire country” of Iran
“can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night.” President Trump, White House press conference, April 5.
“Tuesday will be Power Plant
Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. Open the Fuckin’ Strait,
you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!” Truth Social post, April 5.
“They’ve made a proposal, and
it’s a significant proposal.” Remarks on April 6.
Trump changes direction again, the next day: “A whole
civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want
that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have Complete and
Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds
prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?” Truth Social post on April
7.
U.S. casualties in the Iran War now total 13 Americans killed, another 381
wounded. Pentagon report, April 8.
“I think it's close to over, yeah. I view it as very close to being
over.” Trump, to Fox News, April
15.
“This process should go very quickly,” and most points are “already
negotiated and agreed to. … The U.S.A.
will get all nuclear dust,” Mr. Trump told a crowd in Arizona last week. “You
know what the nuclear dust is? That was that white powdery substance created by
our B-2 bombers.” He adds, “No money will exchange hands in any way, shape or
form.” April 17, Iran will agree
to give up their enriched uranium.
“Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz – A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement! Many of them were aimed at a French Ship, and a Freighter from the United Kingdom. That wasn’t nice, was it? My Representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan – They will be there tomorrow evening, for Negotiations. Iran recently announced that they were closing the Strait, which is strange, because our BLOCKADE has already closed it. They’re helping us without knowing, and they are the ones that lose with the closed passage, $500 Million Dollars a day! … We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY! They’ll come down fast, they’ll come down easy and, if they don’t take the DEAL, it will be my Honor to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran, by other Presidents, for the last 47 years.” Trump, posting on Truth Social, April 19.
“Based on the fact that
the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon
the request of [Pakistani leaders] … we have been asked to hold our Attack on
the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can
come up with a unified [peace] proposal.” April 20, Trump,
explaining on X, why he will extend the ceasefire with Iran.
Ignoring the ceasefire
extension, Iranian forces fire on three merchant vessels in the Strait of
Hormuz. April 22.
A variety of people
familiar with damage to American assets in the Middle East note that “runways,
high-end radar systems, dozens of aircraft, warehouses, command headquarters,
aircraft hangars and satellite communications infrastructure” have been
destroyed or damaged. April 26, as reported by
The Hill.
“The hostilities that
began on February 28, 2026, have terminated.” White House letter to
Congress, May 1.
“They’ve got nothing left,
they’re done,” Trump says of the Iranians. Yet, some news outlets make it sound
like the enemy is “winning the war.”
CNN, he calls “stupid,” regarding its coverage.
“If you read The New
York Times – it’s actually seditious, in my opinion,” he grumbles.
The president added that
he did not “care” about such reporting, insisting, “everybody knows the facts.
We are decimating the country.” Oval Office meeting with
reporters, May 1.
“We’ve already won, but I
want to win by a bigger margin.” Trump in a Newsmax
interview, May 1.
“I am fully aware that my Representatives are having very
positive discussions with the Country of Iran, and that these discussions could
lead to something very positive for all.” Truth Social Post on May 3.
In that same post, the president
made a promise to nations whose ships were
trapped in the closed Strait. “We will guide their Ships safely out of these
restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their
business.”
“They’ll be blown off the face
of the earth.” Warning to Iran, if they attack
U.S. warships in the Strait of Hormuz, May 4.
Under heavy pressure, Iran has
become “much more malleable” in negotiations. Trump statement, May 4.
“Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships. And they’ve attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times.” Department of War, comment by Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine May 5.
“I’m getting a letter supposedly
tonight, so we’ll see how that goes.” Trump sees progress in negotiations. Press gaggle on
May 8.
“I have just read the response from Iran’s so-called
‘Representatives.” I don’t like it — TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! Thank you for your
attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.” Truth Social post on May
10.
“The only thing that matters
when I’m talking about Iran – they can’t have a nuclear weapon.” Statement by the president, May 12.
“For Iran, the Clock is Ticking,
and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME
IS OF THE ESSENCE! President DJT.” Truth Social post, May 17.
“We were getting ready to do a very major attack tomorrow,
and I put it off ... because we’ve had very big discussions with Iran ...” Press gaggle on May 18.
“Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being
discussed, and will be announced shortly.” Truth Social post on May
23.
The deal is imminent: “Every day it gets better and better.
I can’t tell you before I tell them, right?” Trump to reporters, May
23.
“... I have informed my representatives not to rush into a
deal in that time is on our side.” Truth Social post on May
24.
I laugh at all of the Dumocrats, RINOS, and Fools who know nothing about the potential deal I am making with Iran, things that haven’t even been negotiated yet, weak and ineffective people like failed Senator Thom Tillis (Soon out of office!), Bill Cassidy, who just suffered a massive Primary loss, really bad Congressman Thomas Massie, a major sleazebag who lost in a landslide to a great American Patriot (Endorsed by “TRUMP”) after showing tremendous disloyalty to his Party (and Country!), and almost all Dumocrats … These people should go home and rest, they do nothing but create division and loss. In other words, they are losers! The deal with Iran will either be a great and meaningful one, or there will be no deal. It will be the exact opposite of the JCPOA disaster negotiated by the failed Obama Administration, which was a direct and open path to a Nuclear Weapon for Iran. Trump Truth Social post, May 25.
(On the day that President Obama left office, Iran had zero
nuclear weapons.)
The U.S. launches new strikes
targeting Iranian missile sites and boats attempting to place mines in the
Strait of Hormuz. The strikes were in “self-defense” and designed “to
protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.” U.S. Central Command (Centcom) statement, May 26.
Iran breaks off negotiations
with the United States, over Israeli strikes in Lebanon and oil prices spike
again. US benchmark WTI crude now trading above $94.50 per barrel. Report, Yahoo Finances, June 1.
“You’re fucking crazy. You’d be in prison if it
weren’t for me. I’m saving your ass. Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates
Israel because of this.” President Trump in phone call to Prime Minister Netanyahu, after
the Israelis launch renewed attacks in Lebanon.
“We’re no longer conducting sustained strikes inside of Iran to degrade their military, because Epic Fury is over.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio, indicating the fighting with Iran is over.
He continued:
“We
define victory as destroying their defense industrial base, significantly
reducing the number of missile launchers that they possess, significantly
reducing their stockpile of drones. And we achieved all those, in addition
to destroying what they had left of an air force and wiping out their entire
conventional navy.” Testimony before Congress, June 3.
An Iranian drone hits the main
passenger terminal at Kuwait International Airport, killing one, injuring
dozens. June 3, Kuwait’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation video
release.
“I don’t care if they’re over,
honestly. Frankly, I thought they started to get very boring.” Trump, on June 3, expressing disinterest in
whether talks with Iran to end hostilities were continuing or not.
“Look, I’m starting to feel like
we’re Charlie Brown and Iran is Lucy, and every time we go to kick the ball,
it’s taken away.” GOP Congressman Carlos Giménez (R-Fla.), June 9.
Iranian forces shoot down a U.S.
Apache helicopter. The U.S. responds by striking “Iranian air defense, ground
control stations, and surveillance radar sites near the Strait of Hormuz.” CENTCOM statement, June 10.
“Iran keeps playing us for suckers because they dealt with some very stupid presidents. I’m embarrassed to say some very stupid people were sitting here. Trump statement during Oval Office press gathering, June 10.
(Irony is dead in the Oval Office. Also: Self-awareness.)
“[The Iranians are] dying to
make a deal. They want to make a deal so badly. We dropped $250 million of
bombs on them last night. They’re really in submission. They just don’t know it
yet.” Trump call to Fox News, June 10.
Israeli forces launch new
strikes in Lebanon, after Hezbollah forces fire at targets in Northern Israel.
Trum erupts: “It is so bad – I couldn’t believe it. An hour before we are
supposed to sign the deal.”
“Why did Bibi have to do a fucking
attack? I was so pissed off. I let him know. He has no fucking judgement. I let
him know that.” Trump in a call to Axios, June 14.
The Strait of Hormuz will be “permanently
toll-free.” Trump promise, made in call to The New York Times, June 14.
“Our expectation is that the
strait is going to be opened in a toll-free way for the long term, and that’s
the sort of thing that we’re going to figure out in these technical
negotiations.” Vice President J.D. Vance, interview on CNBC, June 15.
“Unless you were homeschooled by
a day drinker, no one's confident that Iran is going to do anything.” Republican Sen. John Kennedy, June 16.
The United States and Iran sign
a formal MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) and agree to a 60-day ceasefire. The
Iran War comes to an end. We won! “USA! USA!” June 17, Arab Center Washington D.C.
Trump brags about his great deal
with Iran, insisting, “nobody could have made this deal,” like he did, and
claims that Obama tried to “bribe his way out” of trouble with the Iranians.
“And you know what the Iranians did? They laughed at Obama and they said he’s a
stupid son-of-a-bitch.” Trump, Oval
Office meeting, June 17.
Iranian officials explain that when
the ceasefire ends, they will charge a “service fee” for ships using the Strait
of Hormuz. This might sound like a “toll,” but this fee will pay for “navigation
support, environmental protection, insurance coordination, and maritime safety
operations.” Channel 24 News, June 19.
With a ceasefire deal in the
works, President Trump is asked about his pledge that Iran would have no choice
but unconditional surrender. “Well, it really probably is unconditional
surrender,” he claims. Trump statement, June 19, during Axios interview.
Iran announces the Strait is
closed again, after Israeli forces continue to pound Hezbollah positions in
Southern Lebanon. “Do not approach the Strait of Hormuz; otherwise, your
security will be jeopardized.” Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, statement, June 20.
You can form some idea of how
the war is going by looking at a poll of Israelis: 92% of respondents believe Iran
has come out of the war as the winner. Hebrew University of Jerusalem, June 21.
Trump decides to threaten Iranian negotiators, already scheduled to meet for discussions with U.S. officials in Switzerland. “You close [the Strait of Hormuz] and you won’t have a country. You won’t even make it back to your fucking country.” Trump statement, during a call to Fox News, June 21.
(Murdering another country’s emissaries is a war crime.)
President Trump expects praise
for winning the Iran War and if he doesn’t get it, watch out. “The way the
Corrupt and Failing New York Times is covering stories on a very battered and
beat up Iran, through FAKE & MADE UP ‘FACTS’ is, in my opinion,
‘TREASONOUS’,” he says. Arab News
story, June 22.
VP Vance proudly announces that
Iran has agreed allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors back into the country. This, he says, is “a major
milestone for the American people, and the first step in permanently
denuclearizing or permanently ending a nuclear weapons program in Iran.” Vance statement, meeting in Switzerland, June 22.
“We have not had a meeting with the director general of the IAEA, nor do we have any plans for the agency to inspect Iran's nuclear facilities damaged by the US and Zionist military aggression.” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, June 23.
“I think it’s over. I don’t want
to deal with them anymore. They’re scum. Do you know what scum is? They’re led
by sick people. They’re vicious, violent people. They’re liars. They’re cuckoo.
Trump says he doesn’t want to negotiate any more with Iranian
leaders, July 8.
“The Cease Fire is OVER.” Donald, venting, July 11.
“It was a done deal, and then
they broke it. They always break it. We’ve had 10 deals with these people – and
so we’re just going to hit them very hard... They’re a bad group of people.
They’ve been this way for a long time.” Fox News, July 13, Trump phone call.
“The
U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as ‘THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ
STRAIT. But as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the
rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job
of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World.” President Trump’s new plan for the Strait of Hormuz, July 13.
“Kings and emirs and all of the
people that we all know, and we all love” call President Trump, regarding his
plan to charge tolls. “We’d love to do it a different way,” they assure him,
“we’d love to invest in the United States with billions and billions of dollars
…” Trump, doing a 180 turn, July 14.
“We’re going to hit them very
hard tonight. We’re going to hit them very hard tomorrow night. We’re going to
hit them very hard the night after... We’re going to knock out all their power
plants, we’re going to knock out all their bridges, unless they get to the
table and negotiate.” Trump, speaking to Fox News, July 14.
*
WE ALL KNOW how much President Trump likes trophies. So, it seems fitting that protesters recently put up a 10-foot-tall “Iran War Participation Trophy” on the National Mall in D.C.
The accompanying plaque explains:
We
hereby award President Donald J. Trump this participation trophy for his
enthusiastic involvement in the Iran War. While some concern themselves with
military strategy, diplomacy, or measurable outcomes, President Trump
demonstrated the courage to participate regardless of the final score.
As the
recipient of this prestigious award, President Trump joins the ranks of
children everywhere who received recognition for simply showing up.
