Trump seeks to justify Iran war, but stated objectives shift

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke on Monday to explain a large, ongoing military action against Iran. This was his most detailed public statement about the operation, which has seen its goals and timeline change since it started over the weekend. After returning to the White House from a weekend in Florida, Trump said that the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, which began on Saturday, were expected to last four to five weeks, but they might continue longer. The military actions have resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the sinking of at least 10 Iranian warships, and attacks on over 1,000 targets. “We’re already doing better than we expected. But no matter how long it takes, that’s fine,” Trump stated during his first public appearance since the conflict began. He did not mention changing the Iranian government. Instead, he said the fight is necessary to stop Iran from making nuclear weapons, a claim Iran denies, and to halt its long-range missile program. “An Iranian government with long-range missiles and nuclear weapons would be a serious threat not only to the Middle East but also to the American people,” Trump added. His comments came after several days of mixed messages from him. Over the weekend, he had talked about the strikes in short videos and interviews with certain journalists but did not give a televised speech to the nation, which is usually done during military actions. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to claims that the administration's communication about the operation was unclear. On social media platform X, Leavitt stated that Trump had provided “clear objectives,” which included preventing attacks from Iran’s proxies and stopping the production of roadside bombs similar to those used against U.S. troops after the 2003 Iraq invasion.