Trump says Iran 'wants to make deal so badly'
Washington, May 20
US President Donald Trump said that Iran "wants to make a deal so badly" after recent American military strikes, while claiming Tehran's military infrastructure had been largely destroyed and insisting the country would not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon.
Speaking at the annual White House Congressional Picnic, Trump mixed campaign-style political remarks with updates on the economy, foreign policy and his administration's legislative agenda, repeatedly returning to the issue of Iran and regional tensions.
"We're gonna end that war very quickly," Trump said. "They wanna make a deal so badly. They're tired of this."
The President said the United States acted because "they have nuclear on their mind and we're not gonna let them have a nuclear weapon."
"We've done a hell of a job and we're, I think we're gonna be finished with that very quickly and they won't have a nuclear weapon," Trump said. "Hopefully we're gonna get it done in a very nice manner."
Trump also claimed Iran's military capability had been severely degraded.
"We wiped out their Navy. The Navy is gone. The Air Force is gone. Their anti-aircraft is gone," he said. "All of their material that they use for warfare is gone."
"I don't wanna say their leaders are gone because it's not very nice, but that happens to be true," he added.
The remarks came during a festive gathering on the South Lawn attended by members of Congress, cabinet officials and their families. Trump used the occasion to celebrate what he described as strong economic indicators and legislative successes during his administration.
He said the stock market had reached "67 all-time highs" during his presidency and claimed inflation had fallen to 1.6 per cent before the latest conflict in the Middle East pushed up energy prices.
"America's thriving, America's winning, and America's respected, perhaps like it has never been respected before," Trump said.
Trump also highlighted his administration's "Great Beautiful Bill", which he said combined several major policy initiatives into a single legislative package. He promoted provisions including "no tax on tips", "no tax on overtime", and changes to estate taxes affecting farms and small businesses.
The President praised First Lady Melania Trump for helping push bipartisan legislation on foster care and child protection measures through Congress. Earlier in the evening, Melania Trump urged senators to pass the "Fostering the Future Act" after its approval in the House of Representatives.
Trump also announced plans for a major UFC event on the White House South Lawn, saying an arena for 4,000 to 5,000 spectators would be constructed while as many as 100,000 people could watch from surrounding grounds on giant screens.
The latest US-Iran tensions come amid renewed instability in the Middle East and continuing concerns in Washington and among US allies over Iran's nuclear programme.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who follows geopolitics closely, Trump's claims seem exaggerated. Saying a country's entire navy and air force are "gone" is typical of his style—grand, but rarely accurate. The world needs stable leadership, not boastful statements. Iran's nuclear ambition is serious, but so is the human cost.
Trump says "we wiped them out" and then talks about a picnic with lawmakers! 😮 This feels surreal. India has always advocated dialogue over war. The Middle East instability affects our oil prices too. I hope sanity prevails and a real deal is reached soon—without more bloodshed.
From India's perspective, this is terrifying. A superpower casually speaking about destroying another country's military infrastructure, then claiming they "want a deal." War is never a picnic. Trump's tone is dangerously casual. The US should learn from India's approach—keep talking, don't escalate unnecessarily.
Trump saying "their leaders are gone" and then awkwardly backtracking is classic. This article reads like a mix of campaign rally and foreign policy briefing—not a good look. America should focus on real diplomacy, not military destruction followed by forced negotiations. India's neutrality here is wise.
I don't trust either side fully, but India must stay out of this. Our energy needs are too big to pick fights over Trump's claims. "No tax on tips" won't help us if oil prices spike again! The world needs stable leadership, not a president mixing war talk with hosting a UFC event on the White House lawn. 😤
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