President Trump declared Iran “totally defeated” just two weeks into the war with the Islamic republic.
“The Fake News Media hates to report how well the United States Military has done against Iran, which is totally defeated and wants a deal — But not a deal that I would accept!” he posted to Truth Social late Friday.
His statement came on the eve of the 14th day of the U.S.-Israeli military operation.
Mr. Trump did not offer any more details about a deal or negotiations. But this development follows differing viewpoints offered on the trajectory and timeline of the war.
In the following days after the initial attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, Mr. Trump predicted that the “major combat operations” would be a “short-term excursion,” lasting “four to five weeks” or longer. He told reporters on Friday that the conflict will continue “as long as it’s necessary,” noting that the U.S. attacks are “way ahead of schedule.”
His administration has fumed at reports that do not agree with his timeline or scope of the war. In a press conference Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth slammed CNN over the network’s article that said the government “significantly underestimated” Iran’s willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz. He labeled the article “patently ridiculous” and “fundamentally unserious.”
The White House went as far as crafting a website titled “CNN Is Lying to Undermine Operation Epic Fury’s Crushing Success.”
More recently, Mr. Trump called out The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal and “other Lowlife ‘Papers’” that “actually want us to lose the War.”
“Their terrible reporting is the exact opposite of the actual facts! They are truly sick and demented people that have no idea the damage they cause the United States of America,” he said Friday on social media. “Fortunately, as proven by our Great and Conclusive Election Win in 2024, the People of our Country understand what is happening far better than the Fake News Media!”
He was specifically rebuking a report from the Journal that detailed the five U.S. Air Force refueling planes that were struck and damaged, but not fully destroyed, at an air base in Saudi Arabia.
“Yet again, an intentionally misleading headline by the Fake News Media about the five tanker planes that were supposedly struck down at an Airport in Saudi Arabia, and of no further use. In actuality, the Base was hit a few days ago, but the planes were not ’struck’ or ’destroyed.’ Four of the five had virtually no damage, and are already back in service. One had slightly more damage, but will be in the air shortly,” he said. “None were destroyed, or close to that, as the Fake News said in headlines.”
The article said the tankers were “damaged but not fully destroyed” and are being repaired, contradicting the president’s complaint.
