President Trump has repeatedly claimed, including as recently as this weekend, that the war in Iran has been won. Still, he insists that Iran also wants to negotiate as more troops head to the Middle East. Cristian Benavides reports.
The remains of three fallen members of the Ohio National Guard returned to their home state; they were among six service members killed when their refueling plane crashed in the Iraqi desert earlier this month.
Traveling with the president, CBS’s Cristian Benavides said Trump has offered different answers when asked what victory in Iran may look like. The president has repeatedly said the U.S. has already “won this” war: “We’ve won this. This war has been won,” he told reporters while at his Florida golf club.
At the same time, Trump has asserted that Iranian leaders are eager to negotiate. “They are begging to make a deal, not me,” he said. “They’re begging to make a deal.” That blend of triumphal language and diplomacy has drawn criticism and skepticism.
Some Democrats questioned whether the president is serious about negotiation or simply dismissing concerns without briefing Congress. “I think he’s flat-out lying,” one lawmaker said, adding that the administration risked pushing the U.S. further into a conflict with no clear exit strategy. Republicans countered that Trump has been clear about objectives and has a plan.
As more troops head to the region, the Pentagon reportedly is preparing for weeks of ground operations. The White House emphasized that it is “the job of the Pentagon to make preparations. It does not mean the president has made a decision.”
Trump also faces domestic pressure: the Dow has slipped into correction territory and gas prices have risen. He downplayed the economic impact, saying he expected markets and oil prices to move differently than they have. The president has repeatedly set a short timeline, saying he wants the war wrapped up within four to six weeks; his critics note the U.S. has just entered the fifth week.
Cristian Benavides, reporting from West Palm Beach, concluded the report for the CBS Evening News Weekend edition.