Trump Threatens Further Destruction in Iran, Says U.S. Is ‘Locked and Loaded’ as He Predicts Broader Ukraine Deal
U.S. President Donald Trump warned that he could order further military action against Iran, saying American forces were ready to resume strikes and that a decision on the next phase of the conflict would come soon.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, November 5, Trump said he would prefer to avoid further destruction but left open the possibility of escalating the war.
“I would rather not destroy the rest of the country if possible, but maybe I’ll have to. You will know soon enough,” he said.
“If we have to do the rest of the Iran thing, we’re very much locked and loaded.”
Asked about proposals concerning Iran’s nuclear program, Trump asserted that Tehran could not act without Washington’s consent.
“They’re not doing anything without our approval,” he said.
Trump characterized the U.S. military presence and restrictions on Iran as effectively an occupation, while arguing that the conflict was no longer comparable to an active war.
“Nobody’s been killed in about seven months, six months,” he said, contrasting Iran with the Russia-Ukraine war, where he asserted that 25,000 people were dying monthly.
Trump also said 18 American lives had been lost in the Iran conflict and described the military campaign as going well.
Turning to Ukraine, Trump predicted a sweeping agreement that could extend beyond the country to the wider European continent.
“There’s going to be an agreement. It’s going to be a big agreement, and it’s going to involve more than Ukraine,” he said. “I could even say it might involve all of Europe.”
Trump confirmed meeting Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev at the White House but declined to disclose their discussions. Asked about Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians, he said he regularly raised the issue while arguing that Ukrainian attacks also killed civilians.
On domestic matters, Trump praised Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, defending his leadership and criticizing what he called “woke” generals. He also repeated allegations of election irregularities, without presenting supporting evidence in the remarks.
Trump made the comments while signing a proclamation intended to protect the Oval Office and Cabinet Room from major alterations by future administrations. He also promoted his planned White House ballroom and said his administration had several initiatives planned over the next two weeks.