As Iran war timeline shifts, Trump breaks silence on whether it could outlast his term
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump spoke at length about the war with Iran during a speech at the Pentagon marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
He discussed America’s response to Iran and the broader fight against t*******m, drawing a link to how the US has confronted radical threats since the attacks.
Just a day earlier, Trump had dismissed speculation that the war with Iran could last through the end of his second term, saying there was “not even a chance” of that happening.
Trump affirms Iran war wouldn't last
Trump also spoke about the Iran war a day earlier, on Thursday, September 10, emphasizing that conflict would not last much longer.
On Thursday night, Trump dismissed a report suggesting that his advisers had warned him that the Iran war could last through his second term as president.
"No, there's not even a chance of that," the president said.
The president's timeline has shifted repeatedly. He initially said the war would last four to six weeks.
President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on February 28, with massive joint US-Israeli strikes targeting military, government and infrastructure sites.
The US and Iran entered negotiations in June, agreeing to a 60-day peace plan to secure a permanent ceasefire, but the timeline expired without any concrete result, while the Strait of Hormuz remained partially closed and Washington imposed a naval blockade against Tehran.
Trump speaks at length about the Iran war at 9/11 event
The ceremony honored the 184 people killed at the Pentagon. Americans across the country remembered the nearly 3,000 people who died in the 9/11 attacks.
Speaking at the Pentagon on the 25th anniversary of the attacks, Trump remembered those killed and assured the audience that Iran would never have nuclear weapons.
“For 25 years our best and bravest have kept America safe, and today we salute every member of the United States military who served in the war on t****r. It is a war on sick, horrible t****r," he said.
"We salute the service members working right now to ensure the world's number one sponsor of t****r, the Islamic republic of Iran, will never ever have a nuclear weapon," he added.
Trump told the audience that anniversaries such as 9/11 reveal a country's character.
“On days like 9/11, we learn what a country is truly made of. We’re learning right now what we’re made of,” Trump said.