President Donald Trump broke his silence Sunday on the first US casualties of the Iran war in an exclusive phone interview with the Daily Mail.
Three US servicemembers were killed in the fighting. They have yet to be identified publicly.
‘They’re great people,’ the President said. ‘And, you know, we expect that to happen, unfortunately. Could happen continuous – it could happen again.’
Trump acknowledged that the three casualties were the first in his second term, as the January capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and the June bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities were pulled off without a single American death.
‘We’ve done pretty well,’ he noted, adding, ‘But they’re great people, with outstanding records, outstanding.’
Trump also revealed a potential timeline for the war with Iran – suggesting fighting could go on for the next four weeks.
‘It’s always been a four week process. We figured it will be four weeks or so. It’s always been about a four week process so – as strong as it is, it’s a big country, it’ll take four weeks – or less,’ the President explained.
He said he hasn’t been surprised by any of the outcomes of the strikes thus far.
President Donald Trump spoke by phone with the Daily Mail Sunday afternoon from Mar-a-Lago and talked about the three American servicemembers who were killed in action amid the strikes on Iran
Smoke and flames rise behind buildings after an explosion in Tehran, Iran on the second consecutive day of strikes by US and Israeli forces. President Donald Trump told the Daily Mail that he expected the fighting to go on for four weeks’
‘No, I think it’s going as per planned. You know, other that we took out their entire leadership – far, far more than what we thought. Looks like 48,’ he answered.
The President remained opened to more talks with the Iranians, but couldn’t say if they would happen ‘soon.’
‘I don’t know,’ he answered. ‘They want to, they want to talk, but I said you should have talked last week not this week.’
The President spoke to the Daily Mail from his Mar-a-Lago resort, where he’s been hunkered down since ordering the strikes on Iran.
The President suggested he would address the American people again.
His initial announcement of the Iran strikes came at 2:30 a.m. ET Saturday morning via a Truth Social post.
‘I’m getting ready to do so,’ he answered when asked if he would give a speech or remarks on the attacks. He didn’t give specifics on timing.
‘I’m with the generals right now, just to give a little bit of an update. So I’ll be doing that now, I’ll be doing that right after this call, as a matter of fact,’ he said.
Smoke rises after explosions rocked multiple areas of Tehran on Sunday during the second day of US and Israeli strikes against the Islamic regime, which took out 48 leaders, President Donald Trump told the Daily Mail on Sunday
The President said he had spoken Sunday with the leaders of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan and a ‘couple of others.’
Responding to the news that Saudi Arabia could launch attacks on Iran after being initially targeted, the President said, ‘they’re fighting, they’re fighting too.’
Trump is expected back in Washington, D.C. later Sunday.
He said his people had been in touch with the families of the deceased servicemembers.
‘And I’ll be meeting with their families at the appropriate time,’ he said.
Trump said he’d ‘maybe’ travel out to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for the solemn dignified transfer of the troops’ remains or invite the families to the White House.
He also remained hopeful that a democracy could grow in Iran after the US and Israeli strikes end.
‘I do,’ he answered. ‘It’ll be very interesting to watch. But a lot of things could happen and a lot of very positive things could happen.’
