Overview
- In an interview broadcast Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, President Trump denied ever pledging in 2024 not to start new wars and ended the interview angrily when pressed about evidence for his election claims.
- Trump described the Iran campaign as limited and near its end and said preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon justifies continued U.S. action.
- He refused to commit to withdrawing U.S. forces and said troops will likely stay in the Middle East until a deal is reached; NBC reported about 50,000 U.S. personnel are currently deployed in the region.
- The administration’s harder military posture is backed by recent budget moves, including the One Big Beautiful Bill’s $150 billion for defense and the Pentagon’s record FY2027 request, even as the House passed a resolution calling for an end to the Iran fighting.
- The reversal directly contradicts multiple documented campaign and victory statements where Trump promised to avoid new wars, a shift that tightens pressure from Congress, complicates talks with Tehran (which demands full U.S. withdrawal) and risks alienating some of his base.