Trump gives update from the White House on Iran strikes

President Donald Trump delivered an update March 2 on ongoing U.S. military operations in Iran, declaring that American forces are “substantially ahead” of schedule and pledging to do “whatever it takes” to eliminate Iran’s nuclear program.

He made the remarks at a Medal of Honor ceremony, where he presented the nation’s highest military honor to three U.S. Army soldiers, two of them posthumously. 

Trump said large-scale strikes under “Operation Epic Fury” are continuing “to eliminate the grave threats posed to America by this terrible terrorist regime.” 

He said that although the U.S. “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program in its July 2025 strikes, Tehran has ignored his administration’s demands that the regime not rebuild its nuclear capabilities elsewhere. 

As Zeale News reported Feb. 28, the joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran “took many observers by surprise since they came just hours after Oman Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi – the primary mediator of ongoing negotiations between the U.S. and Iran – had stated ‘a peace agreement between the US and Iran is now within reach’” and that Iranians had already agreed to “zero stockpiling” and “that Iran will never ever have a nuclear material that will create a bomb.”

Trump continued in his March 2 update that Iran’s ballistic-missile program had also expanded rapidly and posed a “very clear, colossal threat” to the U.S. and to the U.S.’ allies in Europe. 

“The regime already had missiles capable of hitting Europe and our bases, both local and overseas,” he said, “and would soon have had missiles capable of reaching our beautiful America.”

The President listed four objectives of the ongoing campaign: destroying Iran’s missile capabilities and launch capacity; sinking Iranian naval vessels; ensuring the regime never obtains a nuclear weapon; and preventing it from continuing to “arm, fund, and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders.” He did not reiterate the goal of regime change which he had indicated as an objective in his initial announcement of operations against Iran Feb. 28, in which he had called on Iranians to “take over your government.”

“This was our last, best chance to strike,” Trump said. “What we're doing right now is eliminating the intolerable threats posed by this sick and sinister regime, and they are indeed sick and sinister.”

Trump said that his administration “thought we had a deal” with Iran, “but then they backed out.” 

He recognized the four U.S. service members killed in action since the conflict began Feb. 28 and offered condolences to their families. Zeale News previously reported that three U.S. troops had been killed, but the U.S. military announced March 2 that a fourth service member died overnight from injuries sustained in action.

“In their memory, we continue this mission with ferocious, unyielding resolve to crush the threat this terrorist regime poses to the American people — and a threat indeed it is,” Trump said. “We have the strongest and most powerful military in the world by far, and we will easily prevail.”

He maintained that the operation is progressing faster than anticipated. The administration initially projected it would take about four weeks to “terminate the military leadership” of Iran, but “that was done in about an hour,” the President said. While Trump expects the broader operation to last four to five weeks, he said U.S. forces “have the capability to go far longer than that.” 

“Whatever the time is, it’s okay,” he said. “Whatever it takes, we will do it.”

Hours before the ceremony, Trump told The New York Post he had not ruled out deploying ground troops to Iran.

Trump concluded his remarks by asking attendees to join him in “thanking every American service member who bravely is standing in harm’s way. They really are incredible, and I just want to thank you.”