Trump rejects claim he campaigned on ending all wars, defends Iran conflict

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump rejected suggestions that he campaigned on avoiding military conflicts, insisting that while he opposes prolonged wars, the ongoing confrontation with Iran does not fit that description.

In an interview with NBC’s 'Meet the Press' on Sunday, June 7, Trump said he never pledged to completely avoid military engagements.

“I didn’t promise anything. I don’t like these endless wars. This is not an endless war,” Trump told host Kristen Welker.

The president noted that the conflict with Iran has been underway for only a few months and argued that periods of relative calm have limited the scope of hostilities. “We’ve been doing this for three months,” he said. “Much of it has been under a pretty good form of ceasefire.”

Defends military strength and defense spending

Trump also emphasized the importance of maintaining a powerful military, suggesting that opposition to prolonged conflicts should not be mistaken for opposition to military force itself.

“I would not have built the strongest military in the world if I were entirely against war," the president said.

The administration has overseen significant increases in defense spending. The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’, signed into law last year, included $150 billion in defense funding, while the Pentagon has requested a record $1.5 trillion budget for fiscal year 2027.

Lawmakers have also advanced a defense policy bill containing more than $1 trillion in appropriated funding.

Long history of criticizing Middle East wars

Trump has frequently criticized lengthy US military interventions in the Middle East throughout his political career.

During the 2016 Republican presidential primary campaign, he sharply criticized the Iraq War, arguing that it destabilized the region and failed to deliver strategic gains for the United States.

“We should have never been in Iraq. We have destabilized the Middle East,” Trump said at the time.

The president later campaigned on ending what he described as years of war, weakness and chaos, often portraying himself as a leader capable of resolving international conflicts through diplomacy.

Iran nuclear threat remains central argument

Despite his criticism of past wars, Trump has consistently maintained that Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon.

That position has remained a cornerstone of his foreign policy and serves as the administration’s primary justification for military action against Tehran.

“Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said during a 2024 campaign rally. “Nuclear weapons are the greatest single threat not just to our country, but to the entire world,” he added.