‘Multiple missions’: Cruz explains why Trump declared Iran war ‘mission accomplished’

WASHINGTON, DC: GOP Senator Ted Cruz on Sunday, August 30, pushed back against criticism that President Donald Trump declared “mission accomplished” on Iran without achieving permanent ceasefire or nuclear weapon, arguing that the US is engaged in “multiple missions” in its conflict with Iran.

Trump, last week, shared an AI-generated graphic on Truth Social, saying "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED 2026,” as the US-Iran war hit its six-month mark on Friday, August 28.

Ted Cruz argues US is in multiple mission with Iran

Appearing on NBC’s 'Meet the Press', Cruz defended Trump’s remark after host Kristen Welker showed him a graphic shared by President Trump on Truth Social stating, “Mission accomplished,” alongside a smaller image of former President George W Bush saying the same thing following the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

“Well, listen, I think there are multiple missions,” Cruz said in response. “If you look at the initial mission, which the Trump administration laid out, which is to degrade and eliminate Iran’s military capacity. Then, I think, the answer is unequivocally a yes on mission accomplished.”

Cruz added that the US has “almost entirely destroyed” Iran’s drone and ballistic missile supply, that its “air force is in rubble on the runway, their navy is sunk at the bottom of the ocean, much of the senior leadership has been eliminated.”

“So in terms of military objectives, I think that is correct,” he continued. “Now, if you also look at the objective of imposing economic harm, right now, with the blockade that we are holding on Iran, Iran is facing $500 million a day of economic cost. That is enormous cost that is ratcheting up.”

Ted Cruz explain why US servicemen aren't back if mission is concluded

After Ted Cruz argued that military mission in Iran has been achieved, Welker pressed him further on extended deployment of US troops in the region.

She asked, that if the mission has concluded, why hasn’t the president withdrawn US service members.

Cruz said that active combat military operations have “largely ceased” but that there “are occasional skirmishes.”

“The major operation now is the blockade. The blockade is imposing economic sanctions. And every day that pressure on the regime grows. I think economic sanctions are powerful,” he said.

The Trump administration launched a economic campaign, called “Operation Economic Outcast,” against the Iran on Monday, August 24, after president adopted economic sanctions on Tehran as the new war tool.