President Donald Trump has declared the war against Iran “pretty much over,” citing the dismantling of the country’s military capabilities, according to a conversation with CBS News. Trump stated the offensive is “very much ahead of schedule.”
“I think the war is pretty much finished. They don’t have an army, they don’t have communications, they don’t have an air force,” Trump told CBS. He added that the U.S. Is “way ahead” of its initial timeline of four to five weeks.
When asked about the new Supreme Leader of Iran, Mojtaba Jamenei, son of the slain Ali Jamenei, whom Trump has openly criticized, he stated, “I don’t have any message for him. None whatsoever.”
CBS News reported that Trump indicated he has someone in mind to replace Jamenei, but did not provide further details.
Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said ships are currently passing through, but he is “thinking about taking control.” He also issued another threat to Iran: “They’ve fired everything they had to fire and they better not try anything clever or it will be the end of that country.”
In a conversation with The New York Post, Trump affirmed he is “not happy” with Jamenei, 56, succeeding his father. When questioned about the U.S. Response, Trump responded, “I’m not going to inform you.” He reiterated, “I’m not happy with him.”
The U.S. President has reportedly expressed a desire to influence the selection of Iran’s new leadership, with the intention of replicating a model similar to that applied in Venezuela, aiming for a Washington and Tel Aviv-aligned government in Tehran that would facilitate the exploitation of the country’s oil and other resources.
In a separate conversation with NBC News, Trump declined to comment on whether he would like to witness the U.S. Seize Iranian oil, but added, “It’s certainly been discussed.”
“Look at Venezuela,” Trump told NBC. “People have been thinking about it, but it’s too early to talk about that.”
Taking control of a portion of Iranian oil could strain U.S. Relations with China, which receives approximately 80% of Iran’s crude oil exports. China is the world’s second-largest economy and a major geopolitical rival of the United States.
During the NBC interview, Trump reiterated his dissatisfaction with the choice of the new Supreme Leader: “I think they made a big mistake. I don’t know if he’s going to last. I think they made a mistake.”
