Accusations that the White House launched the war without preparing for consequences, including Iranian disruption of oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, are putting the 79-year-old Republican under political pressure.
Iran fired on two commercial ships in the Gulf on Wednesday, setting at least one vessel on fire.
Speaking to reporters as he left the White House for a trip focused on the US economy, Trump insisted that “you’re going to see great safety, and it’s going to be very, very quickly” in the strait.
Trump said US forces “took out” most of Iran’s mine-laying ships in “one night”, though adding that he did not believe Tehran had placed any of the devices in the waterway yet.
The US leader also doubled down on his claims that Iran was near defeat, saying Iran’s navy, air force, air defenses and leaders were “gone”.
But he added that “we’re not finished yet.”
Trump’s administration has previously also said that ensuring Iran cannot develop and nuclear weapon and eliminating Tehran’s ballistic missile program are also among its war goals.
It has not explicitly said that regime change is among them, despite the killing of Iranian leader Ali Khamenei. Trump would not comment Wednesday when asked if he would declare victory while new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader’s son, was still in power.
Before Trump spoke, the US military warned Iranians that it considers civilian ports in the Strait of Hormuz to be legitimate targets, alleging the Tehran government was using the facilities for military operations.
The “Iranian regime is using civilian ports along the Strait of Hormuz to conduct military operations that threaten international shipping,” the US military’s Central Command said in a statement.
The United States has already been accused of hitting an Iranian elementary school in the first hours of the war.
The New York Times reported that a US military investigation had found an American Tomahawk missile struck the school because of a targeting mistake.
Asked by reporters about the Times report on Wednesday, Trump said: “I don’t know about it.”
Speculation is mounting that Trump may seek a quick exit in an attempt to save his party from further damage ahead of November midterm elections for control of Congress.
However, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that “this operation will continue without any time limit, as long as necessary, until we achieve all the objectives.”
And Iran says it is ready to fight back.
Just Wednesday, the Revolutionary Guards said they had struck a Liberia-flagged vessel and a Thai bulk carrier in the Hormuz maritime chokepoint.