In a nearly 30-minute phone interview covering a broad range of topics, the U.S. President stated he is formulating plans with other nations to ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz amidst soaring global oil prices. He dismissed concerns from the American public about rising gasoline prices following a joint U.S.-Israel military operation launched two weeks prior.
The President also cast doubt on whether Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is still alive. He expressed surprise at Iran's choice to attack other Middle Eastern countries in retaliation for the joint U.S.-Israel action. He described a U.S. strike on Kharg Island on Saturday as having "completely destroyed most of the island's facilities," adding that "we might hit it a few more times, just for fun."
He also strongly criticized the President of Ukraine, calling him difficult to deal with in negotiations aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This criticism followed international condemnation of the U.S. decision to ease sanctions on Russian oil in an effort to mitigate the global oil price surge.
The President indicated he is not currently prepared to reach an agreement with Iran to end the war. "Iran wants a deal, but I don't, because the terms aren't good enough yet," he said, adding that any agreement's terms must be "extremely robust." When asked about potential conditions for ending the war, he declined to specify but acknowledged that Iran's commitment to completely abandon any nuclear ambitions would be a component.
These remarks came after reports suggested his administration had disregarded diplomatic efforts to push for an end to the war. He also previewed the potential trajectory of remaining U.S. military operations in Iran, which began last month with the initial joint strike. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members, including six crew members killed in a refueling aircraft crash in Iraq on Friday.
Over the past two weeks, officials have given conflicting signals regarding U.S. military objectives and the conflict's potential duration, with the President at times suggesting it could take a month or longer, and at other times stating "we are far ahead of schedule" with "hardly any targets left." On Saturday, he claimed, "The only capability they have left is laying mines or firing short-range missiles, and that can be severed relatively quickly. Once we clear the coastline, they won't have that either." He later added, "We've destroyed most of their missiles, most of their drones, and essentially their manufacturing capability for both. It will be completely eliminated within two days."
Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the President said he is requesting assistance from "many nations bullied by Iran" to help secure the vital waterway for oil tankers, as oil prices have spiked significantly during the war. Concurrently, Iranian leaders have vowed to continue blocking the strait and called for further oil price increases. The President stated that several countries have pledged assistance but declined to name them, saying, "They not only pledged but think it's a good idea." Earlier on Saturday, he posted on Truth Social about a joint naval effort to keep the strait open and safe. During the interview, he said it was unclear if Iran had already laid mines in the strait, mentioning a "major minesweeping effort" and expecting other affected nations to join. He avoided directly answering whether the U.S. Navy would escort vessels but said "it's possible."
Confirming the strike on Kharg Island, a strategic Iranian island with oil terminals handling most of its exports, the President said, "We leveled Kharg Island, might hit it a few more times, just for fun." He added, "We've already leveled it completely, but, you know, I left the energy pipelines alone because rebuilding would take years."
Questioning the status of the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who had not appeared publicly since his appointment and only issued a written statement on Thursday, the President said, "I don't know if he's alive or not. So far, nobody has been able to produce him." He mentioned hearing reports of Khamenei's death, suggesting that if alive, he should "do a very smart thing for his country—surrender," but characterized the death reports as "rumors." The U.S. Secretary of Defense said on Friday that the younger Khamenei was "injured and potentially disfigured," describing his written statement as "very weak," and questioning the lack of a video appearance. The new leader was appointed earlier this week after his father was killed in the initial U.S.-Israel strikes. The President declined to specify a preferred successor, only mentioning there are "some living people who could be great future leaders for the country," and refused to say if contact had been made to avoid endangering them.
Expressing surprise at Iran's attacks on other Middle Eastern countries, the President said U.S. allies in the region, including the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, "have been fantastic" but were "attacked for no reason." He called this his "biggest surprise in the whole thing." Analysis indicates Iran has launched drones at these nations and others like Bahrain and Kuwait, targeting oil infrastructure, logistics hubs, and government centers. While the U.S. has not released figures on drones faced or intercepted, UAE data shows 1,475 drone attacks on its territory as of March 10. On Saturday morning, Iraqi officials reported an Iranian attack hit a helicopter landing pad within the U.S. compound in Baghdad. Following the U.S. strike on Kharg Island, Iran threatened to destroy oil and gas infrastructure across the region if the U.S. attacks the island's oil facilities again.
Dismissing concerns that rising U.S. gasoline prices could hurt his party in the upcoming midterm elections, the President, who had criticized high prices during the previous administration in 2024, said, "I think oil will go down below where it was before. We had the lowest prices in history under my administration," promising a rapid price drop after the war. According to data, the U.S. average gasoline price was $2.94 per gallon on March 1, the day after strikes began, rising to $3.66 by Saturday. "Oil and gas supplies are very plentiful, just a little clogged up. It will get unclogged very quickly," he added. When asked directly about the election impact, he stated, "I'm not worried at all," adding, "The only thing I want is to make sure Iran can never be a bully in the Middle East again."
Regarding the decision to temporarily lift some sanctions on Russian oil amid the price surge, the President said, "I want the world to have oil. I want oil." He noted that sanctions imposed after the 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict began would be "reinstated as soon as the crisis is over." When asked about criticism from foreign leaders over the eased sanctions, he did not directly respond but directed his frustration at the Ukrainian President, saying, "I'm surprised he doesn't want a deal. Tell him to go make a deal, because Putin is willing." He added, "He is much more difficult to deal with." The Ukrainian leader had earlier this month offered to share expertise gained from intercepting Russian drones to help U.S. and allied forces counter Iranian drones in the Middle East. The President responded, "We don't need help," adding, "The last thing we need is his help," and declined to comment on whether the U.S. would accept such assistance. The Ukrainian leader posted on social media that Middle Eastern countries had contacted Ukraine, leading to the dispatch of expert teams to three nations. Earlier Saturday, an Iranian politician stated that Ukraine is a "legitimate target" for Iran due to its assistance in countering Iranian drones.
When questioned about reports that Russia might be sharing intelligence on U.S. troop positions with Iran, the President said, "Russia may be providing information, may not be." He added that the U.S. is "doing it to them too," as "we provide some information to Ukraine and are trying to broker peace between the two countries."
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