SAEDNEWS: Over the past 100 days, Donald Trump has claimed 45 times that Iran’s military was destroyed. Yet Iran’s continued actions—from the Strait of Hormuz to attacks on U.S. bases—tell a different story. Even Fox News asked: “If they’ve been destroyed, who is carrying out these attacks?”
According to Saed News Political Desk, citing Farhikhtegan newspaper, Donald Trump has often been described as more of a businessman than a traditional politician. Critics argue that his approach to international affairs resembles that of a gambler—creating confusion through repeated contradictions before making a decisive move. This time, however, it appears that he may have become entangled in his own conflicting statements.
Statistical reviews point to significant inconsistencies in the White House’s media strategy. According to a recent CNN report, Trump has claimed at least 38 times since March that a deal with Iran was within reach. Yet during the same period—and especially as new hostilities emerged—he reportedly declared more than 45 times that Iran’s army, air force, and navy had been completely destroyed.
The gap between Washington’s claims and developments in the Middle East has become so pronounced that even conservative media outlets supportive of Trump have questioned the narrative. While the U.S. president repeatedly speaks of Iran’s military capabilities being eliminated, Iran continues to exercise control over the Strait of Hormuz, intercept hostile aircraft, and strike U.S. military bases in the region.
The contradiction became especially apparent after recent clashes in the Persian Gulf, when Trump once again asserted that Iranian forces had been destroyed. In response, a Fox News host reportedly posed a pointed question during a live broadcast:
“We keep hearing that their military has been destroyed. If it really has been destroyed, then how are they still attacking us?”
The evolution of statements made by U.S. officials has created what critics describe as a remarkable media narrative:
Day One of the conflict: The U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) stated that its objective was to destroy Iran’s naval forces.
Day Two: Trump claimed that Iran’s radar and surveillance systems had been destroyed.
Day Three: U.S. Central Command announced that it was on the verge of sinking Iran’s entire naval fleet.
March 5 (Politico interview): Trump declared that Iran no longer possessed any radar systems, air force, or navy, claiming all had been completely wiped out.
March 9 (Fox News and CBS interviews): Responding to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Trump urged ships to remain confident, stating, “There is nothing to fear. We sank all of their ships. I think the war is almost over.”
The rhetoric eventually escalated to a social media post in which Trump claimed that Iran had been erased from the world map. Such statements reportedly began in March, continued every couple of days in April, and were repeated almost twice a week throughout May.
Why would the highest-ranking executive official in the United States devote such a large portion of public appearances to repeating a claim that critics describe as inaccurate? According to the article, the answer lies in managing political and media pressure.
Whenever journalists question Trump about the inability to stop Iran’s actions or ask about damage inflicted on U.S. bases by missile attacks, he is said to rely on a familiar response rather than providing detailed explanations:
“We destroyed their air force, army, and navy. We won.”
The article concludes that the repeated messaging serves a domestic political purpose. Its authors argue that while global audiences may remain unconvinced by such claims, repeating them helps maintain the image of a victorious superpower among segments of Trump’s political base.
