The assessment came swiftly, delivered with characteristic confidence: the United States, according to former President Trump, is experiencing extraordinary success in Iran. This declaration arrived days after coordinated military action with Israel, an operation that reportedly resulted in the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader.
When pressed for a numerical evaluation of the situation, Trump didn’t hesitate. He bypassed the conventional 1-10 scale, asserting a score of “12 to a 15.” The picture he painted was one of near-total dismantling of Iranian military power.
“Their army is gone. Their navy is gone. Their communications are gone. Their leaders are gone,” he stated, emphasizing the loss extended to “two sets of their leaders.” The scale of the impact, he implied, was unprecedented.
The conversation unfolded following a White House roundtable focused on college sports, a deliberate juxtaposition acknowledged by Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy. Trump readily agreed that “a lot of other stuff” was indeed happening globally.
He described a complete obliteration of Iran’s air force, a force he claimed consisted of 32 ships now resting “at the bottom of the ocean.” The statement was punctuated with a wry observation: “Other than that, they’re doing very well.”
Trump attributed the success to the exceptional performance of the U.S. military, framing the intervention as a decisive response to a dangerous situation. He spoke of a choice between enduring years of attacks and taking definitive action, a choice he said they unequivocally made.
He referenced prior military engagements, including operations involving B-2 bombers that he said neutralized Iran’s nuclear capabilities. The overall effect, he argued, was a dramatic increase in global respect for the United States.
A question regarding Russian assistance to Iran in targeting Americans was dismissed as trivial, particularly in the context of the ongoing college sports discussion. Trump characterized the inquiry as “a stupid question to be asking at this time.”
Prior to the roundtable, Trump had articulated his terms for any future engagement with Iran on social media: “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” He envisioned a path toward rebuilding Iran, but only after a complete capitulation and the emergence of “a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s).”
His vision extended beyond mere cessation of hostilities, promising to work with allies to restore Iran’s economic strength and stability. He concluded with a bold slogan: “IRAN WILL HAVE A GREAT FUTURE. ‘MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA!).’”
