U.S. President Donald Trump said on July 8 (local time) that he does not "think it will start again" regarding a war with Iran, suggesting that the recent exchange of fire between the two sides would not lead to the end of a ceasefire or the resumption of full-scale war.
President Trump made the remarks during a press conference in Türkiye, where the NATO summit is being held, adding that "it (the attack on Iran) will be quick."
He continued, "They (Iran) attacked a few ships (passing through the Strait of Hormuz), and we hit them harder." While reiterating the possibility of additional strikes that night, he emphasized, "We are not looking for a long-term war."
During a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier that day, Trump warned, "We hit them hard last night, and we will probably hit them hard again tonight." However, his comments implied that even if airstrikes resume, they would be short-lived.
Following Iran's attack on merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz on July 6–7, the U.S. retaliatory strikes on July 7, and Iran's attack on U.S. military bases in the Middle East on July 8, concerns have been raised that follow-up negotiations for the ongoing memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the war may face setbacks.
"Whatever happens, it will be over very quickly," President Trump said. "It will only make everything, including oil, safer."
He further claimed, "Oil prices are falling like a rock right now. They might go up a little (due to the conflict with Iran), but this situation will end very quickly. There is an oversupply of crude oil right now because we have moved all our ships out (of the Strait of Hormuz). So prices will fall further."
However, after stating that he "thought the new Iranian leadership was rational, but looking at their actions over the past one to two weeks, they are not," President Trump hinted that he might declare the negotiations a failure, saying, "I'm not sure if I want to make a deal (with Iran). Let's just get it over with."
"I think they are a little crazy," he warned. "There is a new leadership in place now, but they could disappear too."
He also added, "I could disappear too, because I am their top assassination target. I am their number one target because they are garbage."
In a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte earlier, President Trump reportedly used harsh language, calling the Iranian leadership "garbage, terrible people," and stating that the MOU to end the war "seems to be over."
At the NATO working session that day, President Trump expressed satisfaction, saying, "We discussed how much progress other member states have made toward the 5% goal (of defense spending as a percentage of GDP), and they are making great progress."
He expressed hope that a significant portion of the increased defense spending by NATO members would be used to purchase U.S.-made weapons, which he expects will lead to increased investment and job creation within the United States.
Regarding the sale of U.S. fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighter jets to Türkiye, the host of this summit, President Trump stated, "We haven't fully decided yet whether we will do that."
"My thinking is, 'Look, he (Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan) has done everything he could, and he has helped us in many ways,'" Trump said, signaling that he is reviewing the matter positively.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)