Trump calls American military operation in Iran a ‘tremendous military success’

By Morgan Sweeney
The Center Square

President Donald Trump called the American military operation in Iran a “tremendous military success” on Wednesday at a news conference concluding his time at the 2026 NATO Summit.

He also called the conflict a war, though it has yet to be declared a war by Congress.

This week, the president said that the ceasefire with Iran – and the memorandum of understanding that was supposed to be a precursor to a longstanding peace deal between the countries – was over and indicated there would likely be strikes on Iran Wednesday night. Those strikes have begun.

Less than one month ago, the U.S. signed the 14-point agreement establishing conditions for both countries to abide by until a legally binding long-term deal was made. Those conditions included a commitment to halt all fighting for the interim and for Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. But Iran attacked three commercial ships this week, saying that the U.S. had violated the conditions of the agreement.

“Now, the United States, despite the explicit provision of the fifth clause of this memorandum – which emphasizes the Islamic Republic of Iran’s responsibility in determining arrangements for the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz – has challenged this clause,” wrote Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei on X, “and in practice, violated the agreement’s structure through its unilateral actions and also aggressive attacks against Iran.”

The BBC and others have reported that the UN’s International Maritime Organization, the U.S. and its regional allies have been using a shipping route along the coast of Oman that isn’t the route Iran advised.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will steadfastly pursue the protection of its national interests and the exercise of its sovereignty,” Baghaei added.

When asked about the conflict Wednesday, however, Trump said the U.S. has denuclearized the Islamic Republic and the conflict has changed the country.

“I was there for one reason: that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon…. And that’s happened. They will never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “That stuff is so far down under a mountain… [it would] take months to get it out.”

He also talked about how the U.S. has “decimated” Iran’s military and the conflict has caused “350% inflation,” up from 5% or 6% at the start of the operation.

“They were the bully of the Middle East, so they’re a much different country now,” he continued.

At an address he gave at the World Economic Forum in January – about one month before the U.S. launched Operation Epic Fury – the president said the U.S. had “wiped out the Iran nuclear threat like nobody can believe,” referencing the June 2025 mission that struck three Iranian nuclear facilities.