US President Donald Trump continues to claim that the US-Israel campaign against Iran has been successful and that Washington is engaged with Tehran to reach
a ceasefire. However, some officials at the White House are "frustrated", as the Trump administration is sending thousands of troops to West Asia. "(Trump) is getting a little bored with Iran. Not that he regrets it or something — he’s just bored and wants to move on," a White House official told MS Now. A second White House official also said Trump had begun to “move on" from the conflict and has started shifting conversations and personal focus toward the economy, domestic issues and the upcoming midterm elections. Check Iran War Live Updates Here Trump’s contradictory messages on the Iran conflict are confusing, internally inconsistent and increasingly detached from battlefield reality, the officials said, on the condition of anonymity. One of the officials called Trump’s claims "mostly hyperbole." Trump described Iran as a longstanding force shaping instability in the Middle East but said its position had weakened under the US military operation Epic Fury. Trump jokingly referred to the Strait of Hormuz as the "Strait of Trump" during his remarks before correcting himself, later saying the comment was not accidental. "For 47 years, Iran has been known as the bully of the Middle East, but they are not the bully any longer. They're on the run," he said, adding that Iran's leadership, armed forces, and nuclear program had suffered damage during the operation. Trump refused to refer to the attacks on Iran as "war" and chose to refer to it as a military operation. The US president was harshly critical of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) for not "helping" him with the war with Iran.
"NATO is a paper tiger. And I always said we help NATO, but they never help us. And if the big one ever happened and I don't think it will, but if the big one ever happened, I guarantee you they wouldn't be there."
Trump reiterated that if the U.S. had not "knocked the hell" out of Iran, the country would have had a nuclear weapon "within two to four weeks" despite his insistence that the US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites last year set its programs back years.
"They would have used it on you, and on Israel, and on everyone else," he said, addressing the Saudi attendees. The president also hinted at potential action against Cuba.
"And Cuba is next by the way, but pretend I didn't say that," he said. "Please, please, please, media, disregard that statement. Thank you very much. Cuba’s next," Trump said.
