Trump sends mixed messages over Iran conflict sparking major questions
It's a new day, providing a fresh opportunity for Donald Trump to discuss his plans for Iran with remarks that will undoubtedly contradict promises he made the day prior.
It's a pattern that many political onlookers have pointed out, having been in place since the American President launched his first missile at the Iranian capital, Tehran, last month (28 Feb).
The assault was made in collaboration with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu, with him and Trump, 79, claiming it had come in response to the Islamic Republic's increasingly totalitarian leadership and the oppression of Iranian citizens.
The world leaders also admitted they hoped their attack would ensure that the nation 'does not obtain a nuclear weapon'.
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Over the weekend, Trump was asked when he estimates US-Israeli troops to pull out of the region, which he claimed wouldn't be possible until Iran's 'unconditional surrender'.
By Monday (10 Mar) - the 10th day of the deadly conflict - however, the right-wing leader had seemingly changed his mind, telling White House reporters it looked as though an end was in sight. "We could call it a tremendous success right now," he began.
Seconds later, he once again made a sudden, head-spinning U-turn.
"Or we could go further. And we're going to go further."
Elaborating, he claimed his troops would continue launching drones if Iranian leaders continued threatening oil tankers exiting the area.
"We will hit them so hard that it will not be possible for them or anybody else helping them to recover that section of the world," the Republican warned.
Seemingly aware of the confusion his sporadic timeline of events has inflicted upon the media, Trump reportedly picked up the phone on Monday evening in an attempt to straighten things out.
According to the BBC, however, in speed-dialling a number of news agencies to clarify his comments, the politician only befuddled things further.
A New York Post journalist claimed Trump told him after being asked about disrupted oil markets: "I have a plan for everything, OK? I have a plan for everything. You'll be very happy."
Minutes later, he is said to have told CBS reporters that the conflict 'is very complete', before adding, 'pretty much'.
Trump went on to insist, 'We're very far ahead of schedule', before being asked to clarify when he predicts tension subsiding in the Middle East.
"I don't know, it depends," he replied. "Wrapping up is all in my mind, nobody else's."
It isn't just the President himself who seems out of the loop with the milestones of his own military mission.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was called out on Sunday for a statement he made about the next phase of operations that contradicted Trump's claims about the war being 'complete'.
"The ability for us to be up over the top and hunting with more conventional munitions, gravity bombs, 500lb, 1,000lb, 2,000lb bombs on military targets," Hegseth told CBS. "We haven't even really begun to start that effort of the campaign."
Trump was grilled over Hegseth's remarks on Monday, where he insisted: "I think you could say both. It's the beginning of building a new country."
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Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Politics, News, World News, Iran, Israel
Rhianna Benson