Trump Thinks He May Have Gone Too Far – President Donald Trump has suggested that he may have gone too far in the war against Iran, suggesting that U.S. military operations have killed so many Iranian officials that Washington is struggling to determine who exactly to negotiate with. The president made the strange admission during a campaign rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, on Wednesday, October 14 – and told attendees in the same speech that he predicted the war would end soon.
It’s a claim that the president has made time and time again.
Donald Trump. Image Credit: The White House.
President Donald J. Trump attends Superbowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, February 9, 2025, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)
The president also claimed that Iranian officials had persuaded him to stop targeting the country’s political leaders, and indicated that communication between Tehran and Washington is ongoing.
The comments come as the president and the Republican Party face immense pressure ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, with American voters telling pollsters that they largely oppose the war and consider the conflict to be the driving factor behind rising inflation. The comments also come amid reports that the Pentagon is preparing to escalate again, with American military planners reportedly considering using the largest non-nuclear bomb in the American arsenal – the “MOAB” or “Mother of All Bombs” – against Iranian nuclear infrastructure.
What Trump Said
Speaking during his October 14 rally, the president described the destruction of Iranian military capabilities and again touted the destruction of the country’s air defenses, naval forces, and its senior leadership – something the president has long described as a major success against Iran. However, the president also acknowledged that the scale of the attacks could have complicated efforts to reach an agreement with the regime.
“They don’t have a navy. They don’t have an air force. Their army is decimated. Their leaders are gone,” the president said. “I should have probably left their leaders because I don’t know who the hell we’re negotiating with.”
“Their first level leaders are gone. They pick the second level. Their second level leaders are gone. They pick the third level,” the president also said, adding, “I probably went a little too far. I’m sorry because I don’t know who the hell we’re dealing with anymore.”
The president also revealed that Iranian officials asked him to stop killing their leaders, and that he had agreed to it.
“They made me promise not to take out anymore, and I did. I promised them,” he said.
Pentagon Prepares Another Major Attack
The president’s suggestion that Washington is exercising restraint comes as the Pentagon reportedly prepares additional major strikes against Iran, and after he also committed to refraining from launching those strikes before the November elections.
According to reports this week, the U.S. military has developed plans that could involve deploying the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, also known as the “Mother of All Bombs.” It is the largest conventional weapon in the U.S. arsenal, and planners have reportedly discussed deploying it as a way of destroying Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear weapons in a limited number of strikes. Sources who spoke to CNN say that the attack has not yet been authorized by the president but that he may soon choose to do so, though they also questioned whether the weapon would even be effective against the most deeply buried nuclear infrastructure currently deep under Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain.
Trump Says the War Will End Soon
Meanwhile, President Trump continues to claim that the war is almost over. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, the president predicted that fighting would stop soon and that energy prices would quickly decline. He has been making both claims for some time, and analysts largely disagree with the latter, with no indication that global refining capacity can expand fast enough to boost supply and drive down prices.
“And Iran will end very shortly,” Trump told reporters before departing Arizona for a rally in Montana. “It’s gonna be over very shortly, and your energy prices will fall very rapidly, very fast.”
The president continues to claim that American operations have eliminated Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons – a claim that somewhat clashes with the fact that the Pentagon is preparing additional strikes against its deepest-buried site.
Trump Threatens Government Leakers
During the same rally in Arizona, the president also called for severe punishment of those who may disclose sensitive military information, referring to recent reports based on sources inside the U.S. government and military.
“In my opinion, leakers should be shot,” Trump told the crowd. “In the old days we used to shoot leakers, you know?”
The president also claimed that a previous operation had been postponed because information about its timing had been made public, potentially compromising American forces.
The comments seem to suggest that the president is growing increasingly frustrated by the constant unauthorized disclosures from sources inside the military, right as his administration considers another major escalation in a war that he has been saying is almost over for the last six months.
About the Author: Jack Buckby
Jack Buckby is a British researcher and analyst specializing in defense and national security, based in New York. His work focuses on military capability, procurement, and strategic competition, and he produces and edits analysis for policy and defense audiences. He brings extensive editorial experience, with a career output spanning over 1,000 articles at National Security Journal, and has previously authored books and papers on extremism and deradicalization.
