US President Donald Trump has downplayed the confrontation with Iran as “small potatoes for us,” while claiming Washington has “essentially taken over Iran”, even as the conflict has cost the lives of 18 American service members. Trump also said US forces control the Strait of Hormuz and could strike Pickaxe Mountain again if activity resumes amid continued tensions with Tehran.
Trump acknowledged that 18 US service members had been killed but said the current confrontation could not be compared with longer American wars in Vietnam and Afghanistan.
You know, we do intermittent strikes,” Trump said. When asked how he could describe the confrontation as “small potatoes” after American troops were killed, Trump defended the US operation, which he said had been continuing for five months. Trump made the remarks while responding to questions about Vice President J.D. Vance’s refusal to call the confrontation a war, even after the United States resumed strikes against Iran. “I would say that it’s intermittent. “We’re not fighting right now. There’s no fighting.
“But I want to leave so that the next president doesn’t have to worry about it,” Trump said, without giving a timetable for ending the confrontation. He said he had personally urged Chinese President Xi Jinping not to intervene in the conflict. “I said, please don’t get involved to President Xi,” Trump said. “And they’re not really involved, very little involvement by China.”
Trump was also asked about China’s relationship with Iran.
