New York, March 3 – In a stunning shift from his long-held aversion to foreign entanglements, President Donald Trump has signaled openness to deploying American ground troops in Iran if circumstances demand it. Speaking to the New York Post, Trump dismissed the typical political refrain of ‘no boots on the ground,’ declaring, ‘I don’t say that.’
This comes as Operation Epic Fury, launched Saturday morning, races ahead of schedule. Trump revealed that what was expected to take four weeks – neutralizing Iran’s top leadership – was achieved in a single day, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei among the 49 high-profile casualties. ‘It’s moving very fast and will end very soon,’ he boasted in the interview published Monday.
Yet, Trump tempered optimism with resolve. While hoping the operation wraps in four to five weeks, he affirmed readiness for a prolonged fight. ‘If it has to go a lot longer, it will,’ he stated, echoing sentiments from Israel’s UN envoy Danny Danon, who insisted on seeing it through regardless of duration.
The backdrop is grim: US Central Command reported four American soldiers killed by Monday, a possibility Trump had foreseen in his video announcement. ‘The Iranian regime wants to kill. Brave American heroes could lose their lives; our troops could be casualties – it happens in war,’ he had warned.
Public sentiment remains wary after decades of overseas quagmires. A Reuters-Ipsos poll showed only 27% backing strikes on Iran, with 43% opposed and 13% undecided. Trump brushed it off: ‘I don’t care about polling. I have to do the right thing.’ He banked on a ‘silent majority’ that would reveal itself in the ‘real poll.’
As global tensions simmer, Trump’s words mark a pivotal moment, balancing swift military success with the specter of deeper involvement. The world watches closely as Operation Epic Fury unfolds, testing the limits of America’s resolve.