Trump Defends Iran Military Action, Labels Nuclear Threat as 'Cancer'
In a stark address at the NRCC Annual Fundraising Dinner, US President Donald Trump framed the recent military action against Iran as a necessary step to eliminate what he termed a "cancer"—the threat of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. Amid the escalating West Asia conflict, Trump asserted that previous administrations had failed to act decisively for over four decades, leaving the US with no choice but to intervene.
Decades of Inaction Prompted Drastic Measures
Trump criticized past US presidents, stating, "When I went on to do something that for 47 years should have been done by any of the other Presidents, and you heard numerous of them said they wished they did it, but they didn't have the guts to do it." He emphasized the urgency of the situation, adding, "We had no choice, but I thought it would be much worse. In the short term, what we had to do was get rid of the cancer. We had to cut out the cancer. The cancer was Iran with a nuclear weapon. We have cut it out. Now we are going to finish it off."
Missile Interception and Military Superiority Claims
During his remarks, Trump detailed a significant Iranian missile attack that he claimed was successfully neutralized by US defense systems. He described, "You know we had an attack, 100 missiles were shot by Iran at a very important thing that we had. I won't tell you what it was for certain reasons. 100 missiles going 2,000 miles an hour were coming at this element of importance, tremendous power and importance. And of the 100 missiles coming at us, 100 missiles were immediately shot down, shot out of the air, and fell into the sea. Not one missile got through." Trump attributed this success to the Patriot missile defense system, boasting, "That was the Patriot system, it's great. We have the best equipment in the world, we have the best military, the most powerful, most lethal military."
Reports of Iranian Strikes and Casualties
Contrasting Trump's claims, recent updates from Press TV, citing a New York Times report, indicate multiple Iranian strikes on US bases in the region. According to the report:
- US bases in Kuwait, located near Iran, appear to have sustained the heaviest damage.
- An attack on the Shuaiba area resulted in the destruction of the Army's tactical operations center and the death of six US soldiers.
- Iranian drones and missiles also struck Ali Al Salem Air Base, damaging aircraft hangars.
- At Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, communications equipment and several refueling aircraft were damaged by Iranian missiles and drones.
Venezuelan Operation and Iranian Response
Trump also referenced a separate military operation targeting Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, claiming, "Earlier this year, in a stunning display of American military strength and skill, we apprehended an outlaw from Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, and brought him to face American justice." He elaborated on the operation, stating, "He's been killing people for a long period of time with drugs and everything else... We went in, and we got him out of his house. His house was located in a military base with thousands of soldiers, and we went in so violently that everybody said, we will pass. Then they came back and waved goodbye as he flew out in a helicopter."
Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi, in a televised interview, reiterated Iran's stance of resistance. He stated, "At present, our policy is to continue resistance, and no negotiations have taken place. There are no negotiations underway," while questioning the reliability of external assurances. This response underscores the ongoing tensions and the absence of diplomatic resolutions in the West Asia conflict.
