The remarks, made to reporters on the South Lawn and in a formal statement, came as the Iran conflict entered a potentially decisive phase.
Tehran has retaliated by firing two ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia – the joint US-UK base deep in the Indian Ocean – while Iran’s Foreign Minister issued a direct warning to Britain that it would face consequences for allowing its bases to be used against Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of the world’s oil passes, has emerged as the conflict’s central geopolitical pressure point, drawing in countries that have so far tried to stay on the sidelines.
Trump, however, added: “I think we’ve won… We’ve knocked out everything, we’re roaming free. From a military standpoint… they’re finished.”
He claimed that the operation was running “weeks ahead of schedule.”
Hormuz: Trump tells allies to step up or stay quiet
On the Strait of Hormuz, Trump argued that the United States no longer depends on the route and therefore has limited interest in bearing the full cost of keeping it open.
“We don’t use the Strait, the United States, we don’t need it… Europe needs it, Korea, Japan, China, a lot of other people, so they’ll have to get involved,” he said.
He described reopening the waterway as “a simple military maneuver” but acknowledged the scale involved – ships, coordination, volume.
His sharpest words were reserved for NATO, which he said had “so far not had the courage” to act.
He also said he was “very surprised” at the reluctance of South Korea and Australia to get involved, adding pointedly: “They should get involved.”
Despite the pressure on allies to take on more, Trump made clear the US was not stepping back from the fight itself.
On ceasefire calls, which have grown louder from several countries, he was dismissive. “You don’t do a ceasefire when you’re literally obliterating the other side… We’re not looking to do that,” he said.
“We’re not giving a nuclear weapon to terrorist thugs, and we’re knocking the hell out of them,” he said.
Iran fires at Diego Garcia, warns Britain
While Trump projected confidence in Washington, Tehran showed it still had the capacity as well as the intent to strike back. Iran fired two ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia, the strategically critical joint US-UK base in the Indian Ocean that hosts American bombers, nuclear submarines, and guided-missile destroyers. One missile reportedly malfunctioned mid-flight; the other was engaged by a US naval interceptor, though it is not yet confirmed whether it was fully destroyed.
The attempted strike drew immediate attention because Diego Garcia sits roughly 4,000 kilometres from Iranian territory, suggesting Iran’s ballistic missile range may be greater than previously assessed by Western intelligence.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi also escalated the diplomatic confrontation with Britain on Saturday. In a post on X, he wrote that Prime Minister Keir Starmer was “putting British lives in danger by allowing UK bases to be used for aggression against Iran,” and stated that Tehran would “exercise its right to self-defence.” Araghchi conveyed the same warning in a phone call with UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.
Cooper, in turn, cautioned Iran against targeting “UK bases, territory or interests”, underlining that London would not remain passive if its assets came under attack.
Starmer has maintained that Britain does not seek a wider military role in the conflict, saying this week that the UK would not be drawn into a broader war.
He acknowledged the decisions involved were “difficult,” particularly given American pressure, but said Britain continued to pursue a diplomatic resolution while evaluating options including potential naval deployments to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The remarks, made to reporters on the South Lawn and in a formal statement, came as the Iran conflict entered a potentially decisive phase.
Tehran has retaliated by firing two ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia – the joint US-UK base deep in the Indian Ocean – while Iran’s Foreign Minister issued a direct warning to Britain that it would face consequences for allowing its bases to be used against Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of the world’s oil passes, has emerged as the conflict’s central geopolitical pressure point, drawing in countries that have so far tried to stay on the sidelines.
Trump, however, added: “I think we’ve won… We’ve knocked out everything, we’re roaming free. From a military standpoint… they’re finished.”
He claimed that the operation was running “weeks ahead of schedule.”
Hormuz: Trump tells allies to step up or stay quiet
On the Strait of Hormuz, Trump argued that the United States no longer depends on the route and therefore has limited interest in bearing the full cost of keeping it open.
“We don’t use the Strait, the United States, we don’t need it… Europe needs it, Korea, Japan, China, a lot of other people, so they’ll have to get involved,” he said.
He described reopening the waterway as “a simple military maneuver” but acknowledged the scale involved – ships, coordination, volume.
His sharpest words were reserved for NATO, which he said had “so far not had the courage” to act.
He also said he was “very surprised” at the reluctance of South Korea and Australia to get involved, adding pointedly: “They should get involved.”
Despite the pressure on allies to take on more, Trump made clear the US was not stepping back from the fight itself.
On ceasefire calls, which have grown louder from several countries, he was dismissive. “You don’t do a ceasefire when you’re literally obliterating the other side… We’re not looking to do that,” he said.
“We’re not giving a nuclear weapon to terrorist thugs, and we’re knocking the hell out of them,” he said.
Iran fires at Diego Garcia, warns Britain
While Trump projected confidence in Washington, Tehran showed it still had the capacity as well as the intent to strike back. Iran fired two ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia, the strategically critical joint US-UK base in the Indian Ocean that hosts American bombers, nuclear submarines, and guided-missile destroyers. One missile reportedly malfunctioned mid-flight; the other was engaged by a US naval interceptor, though it is not yet confirmed whether it was fully destroyed.
The attempted strike drew immediate attention because Diego Garcia sits roughly 4,000 kilometres from Iranian territory, suggesting Iran’s ballistic missile range may be greater than previously assessed by Western intelligence.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi also escalated the diplomatic confrontation with Britain on Saturday. In a post on X, he wrote that Prime Minister Keir Starmer was “putting British lives in danger by allowing UK bases to be used for aggression against Iran,” and stated that Tehran would “exercise its right to self-defence.” Araghchi conveyed the same warning in a phone call with UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.
Cooper, in turn, cautioned Iran against targeting “UK bases, territory or interests”, underlining that London would not remain passive if its assets came under attack.
Starmer has maintained that Britain does not seek a wider military role in the conflict, saying this week that the UK would not be drawn into a broader war.
He acknowledged the decisions involved were “difficult,” particularly given American pressure, but said Britain continued to pursue a diplomatic resolution while evaluating options including potential naval deployments to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
No comments:
Post a Comment