Here's a classic piece of geopolitical messaging: we're leaving soon, but we're not ready to leave. That's the update from President Donald Trump on the U.S.-Iran conflict, now in its third week. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the President delivered a statement that managed to be both definitive and non-committal about an end to the fighting.
"We're not ready to leave yet. But…we'll be leaving in the near future. We'll be leaving in pretty much the very near future," Trump said during a bilateral meeting with Ireland's Taoiseach, Micheál Martin. He did not, however, provide any specifics on what a post-conflict plan with Iran might look like or what conditions would trigger the promised withdrawal.
Trump reiterated his assessment that Iran has been "decimated from every standpoint" since the large-scale U.S. and Israeli attacks began on February 28. He estimated the country's recovery would take about a decade. When pressed on whether the conflict risked turning into a prolonged situation reminiscent of Vietnam, Trump dismissed the concern outright. "No, I'm not afraid of… I'm really not afraid of anything," he stated.
This announcement lands as concerns grow over how long the conflict might drag on and what it means for everyday costs. Crude oil and gasoline prices have been ticking upward with the tensions. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has been critical of the administration's handling, publicly questioning what the strategic objectives and endgame for the war actually are.
In early trading, WTI crude oil was down 3.12% at $93.20 per barrel. Meanwhile, the national average for gasoline stood at $3.79 per gallon, with diesel prices crossing the $5 per gallon mark, according to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The criticism isn't just coming from political opponents. David Sacks, who serves as Trump's AI and Crypto Czar, has also voiced unease. He suggested the U.S. should "declare victory and withdraw" now that Iran's military capabilities are seen as significantly degraded, warning of potential "catastrophic" outcomes if the conflict continues to escalate.
For its part, Iran has signaled it is prepared for a long fight. This comes after Trump himself previously hinted at a 'bigger wave' of attacks and suggested the military operation could last four to five weeks, or possibly longer. So, for now, the market and the public are left parsing a presidential promise of an imminent exit that comes with a built-in caveat: we're not quite ready to go.
