President Donald Trump said Monday that the fight with Iran is not ending yet, reversing course after suggesting the war was nearly wrapped up and declaring the U.S. would keep pressing forward.
Speaking from his Doral golf resort in Florida, Trump delivered an update and made clear he is not ready to declare victory.
According to the Daily Mail, he said, “We could call it a tremendous success right now … or we could go further, and we’re going to go further.”
Trump added, “We will not relent until the enemy is totally and decisively defeated,” even though he had just told CBS News that the war was “very complete, pretty much” and that “wrapping up is all in my mind.”
That split message raised questions about whether the administration is moving toward an endgame or preparing for a longer fight. When a reporter asked which version was true, Trump answered, “You could say both.”
The Daily Mail reported that Trump ordered more than two dozen new B-2 bombers and said U.S. forces have hit 5,000 targets as the war enters its second week. He claimed Iran has lost its navy, air force, radar, communications systems, and drone capacity.
Trump said Iran now has “no Navy” and “no Air Force,” while insisting American forces are “very far ahead of schedule.” He also claimed 46 Iranian ships have been sunk.
Iran was not sounding defeated. The regime’s Revolutionary Guard responded with a blunt statement, declaring, “We are the ones who will determine the end of the war.”
Trump later escalated matters in a Truth Social post, warning Iran not to interfere with oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. He wrote that if Iran blocks oil flow, the U.S. will hit back “TWENTY TIMES HARDER” than it already has.
He also threatened to destroy targets that would make it “virtually impossible” for Iran to rebuild “as a Nation, again,” adding that “Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them” if Tehran crosses that line.
The report also said Trump acknowledged Vice President J.D. Vance was “less enthusiastic” about going to war. Trump said the two men differ “philosophically,” though he added Vance was supportive.
That admission stood out because Vance has long been associated with a restrained foreign policy view. Trump, however, said he believed military action was necessary.
Trump was also asked about reports that a girls’ school in Tehran was struck by a U.S.-made Tomahawk missile, allegedly killing at least 170 people. He said he did not know enough about the claim and called the matter “under investigation.”
Trump said he also spoke Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who he claimed wanted to be “helpful” regarding Iran. He added that hatred still remains between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Markets reacted to the day’s whiplash messaging.
The Daily Mail reported oil dropped from $91 to $86 a barrel after Trump floated control of the Strait of Hormuz, while the Dow closed up 200 points.
