Trump’s “Forever War” with Iran: A Deep-Dive

President Donald Trump has repeatedly indicated that the United States will continue military operations against the Islamic Republic of Iran. In a Tuesday interview with Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, Trump asserted that Iran cannot be trusted, that the United States will keep bombing Iranian targets “for as long as he wants,” and that “the only way you can negotiate with these people is through strength.” He also suggested that a ground campaign might be necessary, adding that “we have other people that will do the ground campaign for us.”

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The current hostilities trace back to Trump’s 2020 decision to withdraw the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the nuclear-deal framework negotiated under former President Barack Obama. After the withdrawal, Iran resumed uranium enrichment, prompting a series of U.S. strikes that began in June 2025. Trump has framed the war as a response to Iran’s alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons, yet he repeatedly links his stance to personal animus toward Obama, recalling a 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner in which Obama mocked Trump.

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• The White House has not issued a formal policy document ending the conflict; instead, Trump has emphasized “military strength” as the primary negotiating tool.

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• A leading Republican senator warned that “this war will continue to impact Americans where it will hurt worse — in our pocketbooks.”

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• Former Trump staffer Miles Taylor told reporters that the president’s agenda is “a forever war, driven by the grievances and hubris of Washington swamp creatures.”

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• Chris Vance, spokesperson for the nonprofit Our Republican Legacy, criticized Trump’s “unilateral actions and disdain for the War Powers Act,” urging congressional Republicans to “take control of this conflict.”

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National-security experts cited by the reporting outlet describe CENTCOM as “let off the leash” and argue that continued offensives will only harden Iranian resolve. One expert warned that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps will “dig in and the war will continue.” Former Tea Party congressman Joe Walsh labeled Trump a “sociopath.” Critics also point to Trump’s contradictory statements about the war’s purpose, his alleged indifference to domestic issues such as housing prices and ICE actions, and his suggestion of expanding strikes to sites like Pickaxe Mountain and Kharg Island.

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According to a Wall Street Journal report, Trump convened a Situation Room meeting to discuss “the potential seizure of Kharg Island and other territory along the Strait of Hormuz” and “the potential bombing of a tunnel complex at Pickaxe Mountain, a nuclear-linked site the U.S. has yet to target.” The same report noted that expanding airstrikes against additional Iranian energy facilities remains under consideration.

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• Trump claims the war was intended to last four weeks and that the Iranian weapons program was “obliterated” in June 2025; other sources describe the conflict as already five months long.

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• Trump alleged that Obama’s administration placed “$1.6 billion on a 747” to pay Iran, a statement the article labels a “flat-out lie.”

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• No independent verification is provided for the alleged “ground campaign” partners, though the implication is that Israel might be involved.

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• “On Tuesday, he told Fox News’ Trey Yingst that you can’t trust the Iranians, and that he will continue to bomb them for as long as he wants.” — Donald Trump, interview with Fox News

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• “The only way you can negotiate with these people is through strength,” — Donald Trump, interview with Fox News

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• “but we have other people that will do the ground campaign for us.” — Donald Trump, interview with Fox News

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• “ One national security expert I spoke with said, “For all intents and purposes, CENTCOM has now been let off the leash, and they are going on the offense.” — Unnamed national-security expert quoted in reporting

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The White House’s Situation Room meeting indicates that decisions on seizing Kharg Island, bombing Pickaxe Mountain, or expanding airstrikes could be made in the coming weeks, though no official timetable has been announced. Congressional leaders have signaled intent to review the president’s use of war powers, suggesting potential legislative action before the end of the current fiscal year.

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