WASHINGTON, March 9 - In remarks recounted by a CBS News reporter on X, President Donald Trump characterized the U.S. campaign against Iran as largely finished, saying the conflict is "very complete, pretty much." According to the account, Trump said Iranian military capabilities have been severely diminished, asserting "They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no Air Force."
The president also told the reporter that U.S. forces were "very far" ahead of the timetable he had previously set, which was an initial estimate of four to five weeks for the operation. The interview excerpt was relayed by CBS News' White House correspondent Weijia Jiang on the social platform.
On the subject of Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, Trump was quoted as saying he "has no message for him." When pressed about succession or leadership alternatives, the president said he has "someone in mind" to replace Khamenei but did not elaborate further on who that individual might be or how such a change would be effected.
The comments, as reported, consist of succinct assessments and terse responses rather than detailed explanations. They convey the president's view that the immediate military phase against Iran has achieved its objectives and suggest an unresolved approach to communications with Iran’s newly identified leadership.
Below are concise takeaways drawn directly from the reported interview excerpts:
- President Trump described the war as "very complete" and stated that Iran's navy, communications, and air force were effectively disabled.
- He said U.S. forces were "very far" ahead of his initial four to five week estimate for the conflict.
- Regarding Mojtaba Khamenei, Trump said he had "no message for him" and mentioned he had a candidate in mind to replace Khamenei but did not provide further information.
The reporting attributes these quotations and characterizations to the CBS News correspondent who posted the interview account on X. The published excerpts do not include additional context, supporting detail, or follow-up explanation from the president about timelines, operational metrics, or the identity of the individual he referenced as a potential replacement for Iran’s new Supreme Leader.