Trump Calls Iran Conflict a “Soft War” Before Midterms
Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity that the United States was not engaged in a war with Iran, saying there had been no fighting for months. He said the conflict could end at any time and that he preferred a deal, but warned Iran could face further U.S. action if negotiations failed.
On November 2, U.S. forces struck targets on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. officials described the operation as defensive and said it did not signal a return to full-scale strikes. The action followed an Iranian missile launch toward a U.S. aircraft, which fired back in self-defense, and a separate missile interception involving a threat to commercial shipping, officials said.
Trump also said U.S. operations had severely weakened Iran’s military and dismissed the conflict’s cost as “peanuts.” The Pentagon’s estimate put the cost above $47 billion. One account of the conflict also said 23 U.S. service members had been killed.
The president’s remarks came as the conflict’s economic toll, including higher gas prices, had become a political issue for Republicans ahead of Election Day on November 3. Trump said he was confident the United States held a position of strength and that a deal was possible.
Trump Downplays Iran War as Strikes and Costs Mount
Trump’s attempt to portray the Iran conflict as barely a war landed on the eve of the midterms, even as U.S. forces struck targets on Qeshm Island. He told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that there had been no fighting for months and that the United States could end the conflict at any time.
But U.S. officials said the November 2 operation was a defensive strike, after Iran fired a missile at a U.S. aircraft. In another episode, U.S. forces stopped an Iranian missile that officials said was aimed at commercial shipping. The military action undercuts the president’s sweeping description of a conflict he said was not raging.
Trump brushed off the war’s price tag as “peanuts.” The Pentagon estimates the cost at more than $47 billion, while the conflict has also contributed to surging gas prices. One account put U.S. military deaths at 23.
With voters heading to the polls on November 3, the stakes include the economic burden of the conflict and the president’s credibility about its scale. Trump said he wanted a deal, but threatened further strikes if negotiations did not succeed.
Trump Says Iran Conflict Can End From U.S. Position of Strength
Trump argued that the United States is negotiating with Iran from a position of strength, describing the conflict as a “soft war” rather than a sustained campaign of fighting. In his November 2 Fox News interview, he said he wanted an agreement and could end the conflict at any time, while warning that further action remained possible if talks failed.
U.S. forces struck targets on Qeshm Island that day after Iran fired a missile at a U.S. aircraft, according to officials. They characterized the strike as defensive and said it did not amount to a return to full-scale U.S. attacks. U.S. forces also intercepted a separate Iranian missile officials said threatened commercial shipping.
Trump said U.S. operations had badly reduced Iran’s military capabilities and dismissed the conflict’s cost as “peanuts.” The Pentagon’s estimate exceeds $47 billion, and one account said 23 U.S. service members had died. The cost and rising gas prices have become political issues for Republicans before the midterms.
The administration’s stated choice is between a negotiated end and renewed force if Iran does not make a deal. Trump said an agreement was likely, while maintaining that the United States had the ability to act decisively.
Reported by Fox News, The Daily Beast, MSNBC.
