Speaking from the Oval Office, Donald Trump said the United States could wrap up its military campaign against Iran in a matter of weeks, offering his most direct timeline yet since the conflict began. “We’ll be leaving very soon,” he told reporters, before adding, “I would say that within two weeks, maybe. Two weeks, maybe three.”
When pressed further, he kept it short, “We’ll leave.” This is the first time Trump has publicly put a rough deadline on the war, which has now stretched to about a month and has already reshaped tensions across the Middle East while shaking global energy markets.
The President made it clear he sees the end of the conflict as key to bringing down fuel prices for Americans. Pressed on what he plans to do about rising costs, he said prices would fall once the US exits Iran. “All I have to do is leave Iran, and we’ll be doing that very soon, and they’ll come tumbling down,” he said.
For Trump, the mission had one central goal — stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. And according to him, that goal has already been met. “We had one goal… that Iran can have no nuclear weapons,” he said. “We’re finishing the job.”
Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, about 348 US service members have been injured, according to officials familiar with the situation.
US says Iran war could end in 2-3 weeks- ‘Deal or no deal’
Trump repeated the timeline more than once, saying the US might leave “within maybe two weeks, maybe a couple days longer to do the job.” Even as talk of negotiations continues, Trump brushed aside the idea that a deal is needed to end the war. “Iran doesn’t have to make a deal, no,” he said.
He laid out the real condition for ending the war — weakening Iran to the point where it cannot build a nuclear weapon anytime soon. He stressed that the US would only leave once it is certain Iran cannot build a nuclear weapon “for years.”
“When we feel that they are, for a long period of time, put into the Stone Ages, and they won’t be able to come up with a nuclear weapon, then we’ll leave,” Trump said.
“They cannot have a nuclear weapon,” he added, before calling any potential deal “irrelevant” to the decision to withdraw. Still, he left the door slightly open, saying, “Now it’s possible we make a deal before that… but it doesn’t matter” if Iran chooses to come to the table or not.
Iran ‘Begging to make a deal’ says Trump
Trump went on painting a picture of a weakened Iran, making sweeping claims about its military condition. “They’re not putting up a fight. They’re not even shooting at us,” he said. According to him, that is because “their equipment’s been totally decimated” and there is “nothing to shoot.”
He went even further, saying the country no longer has functioning air defence systems. “The regime no longer has anti-aircraft protection,” he claimed, adding that the US now “dominates” Iranian skies. Trump also said Iran has effectively lost its navy and broader military strength, declaring, “They’re losing. They admit they’re losing.”
Trump claimed Iran’s leadership is desperate to negotiate. “They’re begging to make a deal,” he said. This is something Iran has denied in the past, but Trump insisted that the pressure from the war has forced their hand. He also pointed to a shift in leadership in Tehran, saying there has effectively been regime change after several senior figures were killed.
‘Oil will go down once US exits’- Trump
Earlier, Iran moved to shut the strait after joint US-Israel strikes on February 28. Trump, however, distanced the US from the disruption. “We have nothing to do with that. What happens with the strait, we’re not going to have anything to do with,” he said.
Back home, rising fuel prices remain a concern, but Trump tied that directly to the war — and its possible end. “All I have to do is to leave Iran, and we will be doing that very soon,” he said. He suggested prices would fall once US military action stops. At the same time, he distanced the US from tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil route.
“If France or another country wants oil, they can go up the strait… and fend for themselves,” he said, adding that the US would have nothing to do with it.
Trump lashes out at Europe
Trump openly criticised European countries for refusing to join the war against Iran, taking direct aim at allies like the UK and France. Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump did not told them to “go get your own oil” from the Gulf, even suggesting they use force.
Trump doubled down on his stance when speaking about the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil supplies. “All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz… should buy US oil instead,” he said.
He went a step further, saying they should “build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT”. He also made it clear that the US would not take responsibility for keeping the waterway open. “That’s not for us… That’ll be for whoever’s using the strait,” he told reporters.