U.S. President Donald Trump takes a question as he speaks during a press conference at Trump National Doral Miami in Miami, Florida, U.S., March 9, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
President Donald Trump baffled the internet Monday afternoon with conflicting new remarks on whether the war in Iran was ending or just beginning.
Trump took questions about the war, in which he was asked to clarify why he said Monday the war was "very complete" while Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said it was "just the beginning."
"So which is it?" the reporter asked. "And how long should Americans be prepared for this war to last?"
Trump replied, "Well I think you could say both. It's the beginning of building a new country. Bu they certainly - they have no Navy, they have no Air Force. They have no anti-aircraft equipment. It's all been blown up."
Trump added Iran has no leadership either, though the country reportedly named Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader of Iran, having been appointed by the Assembly of Experts earlier in the day , following the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in U.S.-Israeli strikes.
"It's all gone," Trump insisted. "So, you could look at that statement. We could call it a tremendous success right now as we leave here. I could call it. Or we could go further. And we're going to go further."
The statement bewildered observers.
Columnist Peter Rothpletz remarked on X, "i feel like i am taking CRAZY PILLS."
Veteran X poster Bruce Crossing wrote, "It took us 250 years but finally elected a President with no brain."
NOTUS justice reporter Jose Pagliery simply wrote on X, "The United States of America, folks."
Washington Post columnist Max Boot wrote on X, "This should be the dictionary definition of 'double talk.'"
Salon's Paul Rosenberg simply wrote, "Schrodinger's Warcat!"
Q: You said the war is 'very complete.' But your defense secretary says 'this is just the beginning.' So which is it?
TRUMP: You could say both pic.twitter.com/4orXm5ZM4b
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 9, 2026