President Trump told Republican House members Monday that the war in the Middle East will be only a “short-term excursion.”
Mr. Trump opened his speech to GOP lawmakers at their annual retreat by saying the U.S. “took a little excursion” to Iran “because we felt we had to do that to get rid of some evil.”
“I think you’ll see it’s going to be a short-term excursion,” he told the gathering in Doral, Florida.
He praised the U.S. military, saying he “rebuilt” it during his first term.
“I didn’t know I’d be using it so much in the second term, but we have a military like no other,” he said. “It’s not even close.”
Mr. Trump said that if the U.S. didn’t launch its strikes on Iran, “within a week” they would’ve attacked the U.S.
“100% they were ready. They had all these missiles, far more than anyone thought, and they were going to attack,” he said.
“Now everybody understands it. Together with our Israeli partners, we’re crushing the enemy and overwhelming display of technical skill and military force. Iran’s drone and missile capability is being utterly demolished. The navy is gone. It’s all lying at the bottom of the ocean, 46 ships. Can you believe it?” he said. “Their terrorist leaders are gone, or counting down the minutes until they will be gone.”
He said Iran “did so many bad things.”
The U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran late last month in a mission dubbed Operation Epic Fury.
Seven U.S. servicemembers were killed in the operation. Mr. Trump attended the dignified transfer of the soldiers over the weekend in Dover, Delaware.
“But they all said one thing to me: ’Make sure you win, sir. Make sure you win,’” Mr. Trump said.
