WASHINGTON D.C. March 17, 2026 – U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled that military operations against Iran must deliver lasting results, declaring that while American forces could technically pull out today, the destruction inflicted would require at least 10 years to repair — and even that may not be enough to prevent future crises.
In a video clip shared Tuesday by the official White House Rapid Response account (@RapidResponse47), President Trump stated during remarks alongside Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin:
“As somebody said, we could leave today, and it would take 10 years to rebuild the damage that’s been done, but I think we have to make it a little bit more permanent so no other president has to go through this. We don’t ever want to have that problem again.”
The comments come amid Operation Epic Fury, the U.S.-Israeli military campaign launched in late February 2026 targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, military infrastructure, and top leadership. The operation has reportedly eliminated Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and severely degraded Tehran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons — a threat Trump has long described as an existential danger to the United States and the world.
Trump has framed the ongoing strikes as essential to “preventing nuclear holocaust,” noting that Iran’s regime posed an imminent risk that required decisive action. He emphasized that a temporary withdrawal would leave the Islamic Republic in a position to recover and once again threaten global stability.
The White House Rapid Response account posted the clip with the caption highlighting the President’s determination, drawing widespread support from Iranian exile communities and pro-American voices who echoed calls for a complete and irreversible end to the regime’s nuclear and terrorist capabilities.
While the administration has not provided a firm timeline for conclusion of operations, Trump indicated that the U.S. is “not ready to leave yet” but will do so only once the threat is permanently neutralized.
The statement aligns with Trump’s long-standing “peace through strength” doctrine and comes as the conflict — now in its third week — continues to reshape the Middle East security landscape.
Full video of the President’s remarks is available via the official White House Rapid Response post on X: https://x.com/i/status/2033964717434179658
Life News Agency will continue monitoring developments in Operation Epic Fury and the broader Iran situation.
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