President Trump announced the near-total destruction of the Iranian navy and urged the continued use of the Strait of Hormuz, framing the massive U.S. military response as long-overdue retribution for decades of Iranian aggression.
President Donald Trump addressed reporters on Wednesday, downplaying concerns of Iran-backed attacks on U.S. soil while announcing that the U.S. military “took out just about all of their mine ships in one night… just about all of their navy is gone.” Amid a potential supply chain crisis caused by reported submarine mines in the Strait of Hormuz, Trump urged oil companies to continue using the waterway as the International Energy Agency approved a record-breaking release of 400 million barrels of oil reserves.
During a G7 virtual meeting, Trump touted the strength of the American military, stating, “I built it during my first term, and I didn’t realize I was going to use it this much, but we have the greatest military in the world by far, nobody close.” The President characterized the ongoing operations as retribution for “47 years’ worth of damage to the world,” warning that the U.S. has “hit them harder than virtually any country in history has been hit, and we’re not finished yet.” He also took aim at Spain’s leadership for refusing base access during “Operation Epic Fury,” claiming “they’ve been very bad to NATO,” while expressing support for the people of Lebanon, whom he said have suffered because “Hezbollah has been a disaster for many years.”