Donald Trump expressed satisfaction with the performance of the U.S. military in the war against Iran, giving a success rating of "15 out of 10." He stated that senior Iranian leaders have been swiftly eliminated, while the conflict has recently expanded to Sri Lanka after a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship. Meanwhile, the White House hinted that Trump is considering America's role in reorganizing Iran post-mission.
U.S. President Donald Trump gave the U.S. military's performance in the war against Iran a rating of "15 out of 10," pledging to continue the campaign until Iran's nuclear arsenal and leadership are completely eliminated.
During a meeting with senior executives from the technology industry at the White House, Trump said, "We are doing very well on the front lines. People ask me, if I had to rate it out of 10, what would I give? I say about 15. We are in a very strong position now, and their leaders are being eliminated rapidly. Anyone who wants to rise as a leader seems destined to face death."
Trump's statement came as the conflict continues to escalate, with reports that a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Israel have maintained joint airstrike operations, having previously killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei last Saturday. The White House and Pentagon anticipate that the U.S. and Israel will "completely control Iranian airspace" within the next few hours.
Trump reiterated that the attacks were necessary because Iran was attempting to acquire nuclear weapons. "When a madman has nuclear weapons, bad things will happen," he said. However, his administration has faced heavy criticism over the unclear war objectives, contradicting Trump's campaign promise that he would "not start new wars."
While the U.S. government has not yet issued clear orders regarding whether there will be regime change in Iran, White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt stated that the president is "seriously considering" America's role in Iran after the military operations conclude.
Leavitt also denied reports that Trump agreed to support weapons supplies to Kurdish separatist groups in Iran to foment rebellion, calling such reports fake news, though she acknowledged discussions with Kurdish leaders did take place.
Trump's policy approach toward Iran has been compared to the case of ousting Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela last January, where the U.S. chose to negotiate with remaining power factions to reach an oil agreement.
,AFP