US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the war with Iran would eventually come to an end, saying the remaining question was whether it would happen the “nice way” or the “not-so-nice way”, as he claimed the Iranian military had been severely weakened.
Speaking at Sparrows Point in Maryland, where he announced a new shipyard project aimed at expanding the US maritime industrial base, Trump said the US was doing “extremely well” in Iran and described the Islamic Republic as the former “bully of the Middle East”.
“We have to finish up. And it’s only a question of which way do we want to do it, the nice way or the not-so-nice way? And pretty soon you’ll find out,” Trump said.
Trump also pointed to the US military blockade of Iranian maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, saying what he called a “wall of steel” had prevented ships from reaching Iran except those permitted by the US. He said the US Navy was also ensuring that Iran would not obtain a nuclear weapon.
His remarks came days after he similarly said the conflict would end either the “easy way” or the “hard way”, while claiming Iran’s economy and military leadership had been severely damaged.
Trump’s comments have also raised concerns in the United States after he suggested during remarks to supporters in Nebraska that Iran could “take out” a major US city such as Los Angeles or San Diego.
The remarks drew concern from residents in Los Angeles, with some questioning why the president had singled out specific cities when discussing the potential cost of the war.
“He’s the president for both LA and San Diego,” a Los Angeles resident said, describing the comment as rash and disrespectful to people who supported Trump in those areas.
Santa Monica resident Fayruz Shamali, 46, said she understood Trump’s broader point about the costs of war but questioned why he had specifically mentioned Los Angeles and San Diego.
California Governor Gavin Newsom responded to Trump’s remarks by calling them “deranged and dangerous”.
Meanwhile, Trump’s shipyard announcement involves a $3.7 billion investment from Anduril Industries and $2.9 billion from the US Navy. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth described the project as the largest US shipyard project since World War II.
Trump said the project would help ensure that the US remains the world’s leading naval power.
(With agency inputs from Reuters and ANI)
