Donald Trump, the US President, spoke to several journalists at a House Republican gathering on Wednesday following drooping poll numbers since launching a war with Iran
Bullish Donald Trump has faced more criticism after his bold claim about the Middle East War today,
The US President, 79, boasted the US has “hit [Iran] harder than virtually any country in history has been hit” as the conflict in the nation continues. His 14-word brag in full was: “We have hit them harder than virtually any country in history has been hit.”
Social media users have found the remark baffling, and have taken aim at the Republican. One said: “I was shocked to read that.” Another posted: “We (the US) look like a bunch of amateurs! He went into this with no plan and now we look really weak.”
Other comments referred to the devastations of World War One and World War Two, to which they claimed the Iran conflict bears no comparison. However, some online pointed out they struggle to believe most of what Mr Trump has to say. One person said: “Nobody believes his nonsense anymore, he is a blathering idiot.”
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Iran this week named Mojtaba Khamenei as its new Supreme Leader after a US airstrike killed his father, the late Ayatollah Ali Khameni. Asked earlier whether he thought the US could declare a victory in the war with Khamenei remaining as Supreme Leader, Mr Trump was unusually coy, saying he didn’t want to comment. But later, during a factory tour in Cincinnati, Ohio, Mr Trump issued a further threat to Iran’s leaders.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Trump continued: “We’re not finished yet.” This vow — and Mr Trump’s baffling brag — has been slammed by citizens across the US and Democratic Party. Mark Kelly, Senator of Arizona, said: “They have no timeline. And because of that, they have no exit strategy.”
Since ordering the Iran bombardment, Mr Trump has continually shifted his timelines and goals for the war. Over the past few days, Mr Trump has called for the “unconditional surrender” of Iran’s leaders, while suggesting he had already succeeded in achieving his objective of decimating Iran’s military.
But the politician also said today the war in Iran will end “soon” as there is apparently “practically nothing left to target.” The US President appears to have signalled an off ramp to exit its intervention in Iran after it unleashed air strikes alongside Israel earlier this month. Trump said “the war is going great.” He added: “We are way ahead of the timetable. We have done more damage than we thought possible, even in the original six-week period.”
Mr Trump later continued: “Any time I want it to end, it will end.” The claim will add to the mixed messaging Trump has made of the longevity of the war.