President Trump outlined four objectives for success in Iran on Monday in his first formal appearance since authorizing strikes on Tehran’s senior leadership and other targets.
Mr. Trump, speaking in the East Room at the White House, said the first goal is to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities. He said Iranian missiles posed a “colossal threat” to U.S. soldiers in the region and could eventually reach “our beautiful America.”
The second goal is to annihilate the Islamic republic’s navy. He pointed to progress on that front, saying the U.S. has destroyed 10 Iranian ships.
Mr. Trump’s third objective is the most prominent: Ensuring that the “number-one sponsor of terror” can never obtain a nuclear weapon. For weeks, Mr. Trump told Iran to say the “magic words” that it would not seek a nuclear weapon, but he never got the needed assurance.
Fourth, Mr. Trump said he wants to ensure that the Iranian regime cannot arm and fund “terrorist armies” outside of its borders. Iran is a major backer of militant groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and Palestinian militants in Hamas.
Mr. Trump ordered joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that began early Saturday. Tehran retaliated Sunday after the military strikes killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top officials, raising fears of a widening and prolonged conflict.
The president outlined his objectives as new polling shows Americans are doubtful about the mission.
Nearly 6 in 10 Americans disapproved of the decision to take military action, while 41% approved, according to a CNN poll conducted by SSRS and released Monday. Also, 60% said they do not think Mr. Trump has a clear plan for what will happen in the Middle East.
A majority, 56%, said they believed a long-term conflict between the U.S. and Iran is at least somewhat likely, while 24% see that as a very likely outcome.
Mr. Trump said the mission could last four to five weeks.
“We have the capability to go far longer than that,” he said.
Iranian strikes have killed four American service members as of Monday.
The decision to strike Iran is stirring a feverish debate back home. Democrats say Mr. Trump should have consulted Congress before striking, and that the strikes raise questions about whether Tehran posed an imminent threat to the U.S.
Mr. Trump said the Iranian regime killed American soldiers for years and that much of the world wanted someone to do something about Iran’s hard-line leaders.
“Everyone was behind us,” he said, “they just didn’t have the courage to say so.”
