How long will President Donald Trump’s new war with Iran last? That depends on whom, how, or when you’re asking (or how freaked out the markets are). From the start, Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and others have offered very mixed messages about when the war will be over. To help everyone keep track, here is our updated reverse-chronological timeline of their various shifting timetables for the end of the war.

. The “fight is Militarily WON.” —Trump

The president repeated his premature declaration of a total military victory over Iran in a morning Truth Social post attacking America’s NATO allies for not joining his war:

Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER! They didn’t want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran. Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices. So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!

Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER! They didn’t want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran. Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices. So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!

. “I think we’ve won.” —Trump

Speaking with reporters outside the White House on Friday afternoon, Trump was asked about what he meant when he said the war was “militarily won.” He responded:

Oh, I think we’ve won. We’ve knocked out their navy, their air force. We’ve knocked out their anti-aircraft. We’ve knocked out everything. We’re roaming free. From a military standpoint, all they’re doing is clogging up the strait. But from a military standpoint, they’re finished.

Oh, I think we’ve won. We’ve knocked out their navy, their air force. We’ve knocked out their anti-aircraft. We’ve knocked out everything. We’re roaming free. From a military standpoint, all they’re doing is clogging up the strait. But from a military standpoint, they’re finished.

He also said the Strait of Hormuz would eventually “open itself,” and when asked whether Israel would end the war when he did, Trump replied:

We want more or less similar things. You know what we want? Victory. Both of us. That’s what we’ve got.

We want more or less similar things. You know what we want? Victory. Both of us. That’s what we’ve got.

. “I don’t want a cease-fire.” —Trump

Because the U.S. is winning, the president suggested:

Trump: I don't want to do a ceasefire. You don't do a ceasefire when you obliterate the other side. pic.twitter.com/WcyYDu4t9K— Acyn (@Acyn) March 20, 2026

Trump: I don't want to do a ceasefire. You don't do a ceasefire when you obliterate the other side. pic.twitter.com/WcyYDu4t9K

. “We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down…” —Trump

Said Trump in an evening Truth Social post:

We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the Terrorist Regime of Iran: (1) Completely degrading Iranian Missile Capability, Launchers, and everything else pertaining to them. (2) Destroying Iran’s Defense Industrial Base. (3) Eliminating their Navy and Air Force, including Anti Aircraft Weaponry. (4) Never allowing Iran to get even close to Nuclear Capability, and always being in a position where the U.S.A. can quickly and powerfully react to such a situation, should it take place. (5) Protecting, at the highest level, our Middle Eastern Allies, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and others. The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it — The United States does not! If asked, we will help these Countries in their Hormuz efforts, but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated. Importantly, it will be an easy Military Operation for them.

We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the Terrorist Regime of Iran: (1) Completely degrading Iranian Missile Capability, Launchers, and everything else pertaining to them. (2) Destroying Iran’s Defense Industrial Base. (3) Eliminating their Navy and Air Force, including Anti Aircraft Weaponry. (4) Never allowing Iran to get even close to Nuclear Capability, and always being in a position where the U.S.A. can quickly and powerfully react to such a situation, should it take place. (5) Protecting, at the highest level, our Middle Eastern Allies, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and others. The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it — The United States does not! If asked, we will help these Countries in their Hormuz efforts, but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated. Importantly, it will be an easy Military Operation for them.

However, not long after that:

. “It will be a couple of weeks.” —U.S. Official

From Axios’s report on Trump’s “winding down” post:

A U.S. official said he doesn’t think Trump’s post signals an imminent end to the war. “He just said we are getting close. In the meantime, the U.S. military is striking hard and continuously. It will be a couple of weeks.” …White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the “President and the Pentagon predicted it would take approximately 4-6 weeks to achieve this mission. Tomorrow marks week 3.” Another White House official echoed the message that Trump was emphasizing that the mission was on target.

A U.S. official said he doesn’t think Trump’s post signals an imminent end to the war. “He just said we are getting close. In the meantime, the U.S. military is striking hard and continuously. It will be a couple of weeks.” …

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the “President and the Pentagon predicted it would take approximately 4-6 weeks to achieve this mission. Tomorrow marks week 3.” Another White House official echoed the message that Trump was emphasizing that the mission was on target.

. “It’s not bad, and it’s going to be over with pretty soon.” —Trump

During a White House press conference with Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi — the day after gas-field attacks in Iran and Qatar upended the global energy industry — Trump once again insisted the war, or at least the energy crisis it has caused, is almost over:

But we’re doing this excursion and, when it’s completed, we’re going to have a much safer world. … I thought it would be worse, much worse, actually. I thought there was a chance it could be much worse. It’s not bad, and it’s going to be over with pretty soon. … But we are — I would say we are substantially ahead of schedule. And I had to do this, I had a — I call it an excursion. I had to take this little excursion and do something that no other president had the courage to do and everybody wanted to do it, but they never had the courage to do, and I don’t blame them. I’m not blaming them. It was left to me, and we’ve done a great job.

But we’re doing this excursion and, when it’s completed, we’re going to have a much safer world. … I thought it would be worse, much worse, actually. I thought there was a chance it could be much worse. It’s not bad, and it’s going to be over with pretty soon. … But we are — I would say we are substantially ahead of schedule. And I had to do this, I had a — I call it an excursion. I had to take this little excursion and do something that no other president had the courage to do and everybody wanted to do it, but they never had the courage to do, and I don’t blame them. I’m not blaming them. It was left to me, and we’ve done a great job.

. “[The media] wants you to think just 19 days into this conflict that we’re somehow spinning toward an endless abyss or a forever war or a quagmire. Nothing could be further from the truth.” —Hegseth

The war secretary once again rejected the idea that the war would be endless during a morning Pentagon briefing:

The media here, not all of it, but much of it wants you to think just 19 days into this conflict that we’re somehow spinning toward an endless abyss or a forever war or a quagmire. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hear it from me, one of hundreds of thousands who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, who watched previous foolish politicians like Bush, Obama, and Biden squander American credibility. This is not those wars. President Trump knows better. Epic Fury is different. It’s laser-focused. It’s decisive. Our objectives, given directly from our America-first president, remain exactly what they were on day one. 

The media here, not all of it, but much of it wants you to think just 19 days into this conflict that we’re somehow spinning toward an endless abyss or a forever war or a quagmire. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hear it from me, one of hundreds of thousands who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, who watched previous foolish politicians like Bush, Obama, and Biden squander American credibility. This is not those wars. President Trump knows better. Epic Fury is different. It’s laser-focused. It’s decisive. Our objectives, given directly from our America-first president, remain exactly what they were on day one. 

. “We’ll be leaving in the near future, we’ll be leaving in pretty much the very near future.” —Trump

In a morning press conference at the Oval Office with Irish taoiseach Micheál Martin, Trump said “it won’t be too long” before the Strait of Hormuz is open again, and in response to a question about having a “day-after plan,” he responded that the U.S. would be out of there soon:

Reporter: Do you not have a day after plan for Iran?Trump: We have a lot. If we left right now, it would take ten years for them to rebuild. But we're not ready to leave yet. But we we'll be leaving in the near future. pic.twitter.com/0cVcqdURtN— Acyn (@Acyn) March 17, 2026

Reporter: Do you not have a day after plan for Iran?Trump: We have a lot. If we left right now, it would take ten years for them to rebuild. But we're not ready to leave yet. But we we'll be leaving in the near future. pic.twitter.com/0cVcqdURtN

. “A couple of weeks, it won’t be much longer, it’s moving along fast. We’re way ahead of schedule.” —Trump

Trump mentioned his “little excursion” again during an afternoon speech on Capitol Hill:

Trump: And with a little bit of Irish luck, they helped make America into the most exceptional nation the world has ever seen and we're doing better. And we're taking a little excursion to take care of nuclear weaponry in the hands of maniacs and we're way ahead of schedule. pic.twitter.com/igbqz5L4Qs— Acyn (@Acyn) March 17, 2026

Trump: And with a little bit of Irish luck, they helped make America into the most exceptional nation the world has ever seen and we're doing better. And we're taking a little excursion to take care of nuclear weaponry in the hands of maniacs and we're way ahead of schedule. pic.twitter.com/igbqz5L4Qs

He said “a couple of weeks” last week, too.

. “The war is proceeding very, very strongly. We’re doing very, very well.” —Trump

Trump on Iran: I just want to say the war is proceeding very, very strongly. We're doing very, very well. They were 2 weeks away from having a nuclear weapon pic.twitter.com/FGE40q4NA7— Acyn (@Acyn) March 17, 2026

Trump on Iran: I just want to say the war is proceeding very, very strongly. We're doing very, very well. They were 2 weeks away from having a nuclear weapon pic.twitter.com/FGE40q4NA7

At the same event, he also said, “I think we have to make [the damage to Iran] a little bit more permanent because no other president has to go through this.”

. “They have been literally obliterated.” —Trump

Yet the war somehow continues:

President Trump on Iran strikes: "They have been literally obliterated. The air force is gone, the navy is gone, many many ships have been sunk…Anti-aircraft is decimated, their radar is gone, and their leaders are gone. Other than that, they're doing quite well." pic.twitter.com/oxLJKrdFmM— CSPAN (@cspan) March 16, 2026

President Trump on Iran strikes: "They have been literally obliterated. The air force is gone, the navy is gone, many many ships have been sunk…Anti-aircraft is decimated, their radar is gone, and their leaders are gone. Other than that, they're doing quite well." pic.twitter.com/oxLJKrdFmM

. Not this week, but “it’ll be wrapped up soon.” —Trump

During a Monday afternoon Oval Office press conference, Trump was asked if the war could be wrapped up this week. “Yeah, sure,” he replied, then added:

I don’t think so. But it’ll be soon. Won’t be long. We’re gonna have a much safer world when it’s wrapped up. It’ll be wrapped up soon.

I don’t think so. But it’ll be soon. Won’t be long. We’re gonna have a much safer world when it’s wrapped up. It’ll be wrapped up soon.

Doocy: Can we wrap this war up this week?Trump: Yeah sure. Doocy: Will we?Trump: I don’t think so. pic.twitter.com/5q3RzrexQm— Acyn (@Acyn) March 16, 2026

Doocy: Can we wrap this war up this week?Trump: Yeah sure. Doocy: Will we?Trump: I don’t think so. pic.twitter.com/5q3RzrexQm

. “I’m still not declaring it over.” —Trump

“There’s no reason to,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One:

Q: Are you ready to officially declare victory?TRUMP: No. I don't want to do that. There's no reason to. I think I just say, they're decimated. If we left right now, it would take them 10 years or more to rebuild. But I'm still not declaring it over. pic.twitter.com/DqKReCPjUc— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 16, 2026

Q: Are you ready to officially declare victory?TRUMP: No. I don't want to do that. There's no reason to. I think I just say, they're decimated. If we left right now, it would take them 10 years or more to rebuild. But I'm still not declaring it over. pic.twitter.com/DqKReCPjUc

. “When I feel it — I gotta feel it in my bones.” —Trump

During a Fox News Radio interview with Brian Kilmeade, Trump said he would know the war was over “when I feel it … in my bones”:

KILMEADE: When will know the war is over?TRUMP: When I feel it. I gotta feel it in my bones. pic.twitter.com/j4lTjG5SOP— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 13, 2026

KILMEADE: When will know the war is over?TRUMP: When I feel it. I gotta feel it in my bones. pic.twitter.com/j4lTjG5SOP

. “Soon” or at least two more weeks, maybe. —Trump and U.S. and Israeli officials

Axios reported a new estimate, but also reported that Israel and the U.S. may not agree about the potential timetable:

President Trump told Axios in a brief phone interview Wednesday that the war with Iran will end “soon” because there is “practically nothing left to target.”“Little this and that… Any time I want it to end, it will end,” Trump said during the five-minute call.Even as Trump publicly signals his operation has largely accomplished its objectives, U.S. and Israeli officials say there has been no internal directive on when fighting might stop. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday the war will continue “without any time limit, for as long as necessary, until we achieve all the objectives and decisively win the campaign.” Israeli and U.S. officials say they are preparing for at least two more weeks of strikes in Iran. Trump himself declined to specify a timeline for when the war will end.

President Trump told Axios in a brief phone interview Wednesday that the war with Iran will end “soon” because there is “practically nothing left to target.”

“Little this and that… Any time I want it to end, it will end,” Trump said during the five-minute call.

Even as Trump publicly signals his operation has largely accomplished its objectives, U.S. and Israeli officials say there has been no internal directive on when fighting might stop. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday the war will continue “without any time limit, for as long as necessary, until we achieve all the objectives and decisively win the campaign.” Israeli and U.S. officials say they are preparing for at least two more weeks of strikes in Iran. Trump himself declined to specify a timeline for when the war will end.

. “A couple weeks.” —Trump

Trump later seemed to confirm the new few-weeks estimate:

Trump: We did a little excursion. A couple weeks, a few weeks of excursion, had to take an excursion, but it's doing well. The market is holding up well. I figured we would be hit a little bit, but we were hit less than I thought and we will be back on track in a pretty short… pic.twitter.com/YlMLYV39lG— Acyn (@Acyn) March 11, 2026

Trump: We did a little excursion. A couple weeks, a few weeks of excursion, had to take an excursion, but it's doing well. The market is holding up well. I figured we would be hit a little bit, but we were hit less than I thought and we will be back on track in a pretty short… pic.twitter.com/YlMLYV39lG

. “It’s an excursion that will keep us out of a war.” —Trump

Trump was also asked once again about what he means by a “little excursion.” This was his response:

Doocy: You just said it is a little excursion and you said it is a war, so which one is it?.President Trump: Well, it's both. It’s an excursion that will keep us out of a war. pic.twitter.com/rwIVSe24FO— Acyn (@Acyn) March 11, 2026

Doocy: You just said it is a little excursion and you said it is a war, so which one is it?.President Trump: Well, it's both. It’s an excursion that will keep us out of a war. pic.twitter.com/rwIVSe24FO

. “We’ve won” but “we don’t want to leave early. We want to finish the job, right?” —Trump

The president spoke at a campaign rally in Hebron, Kentucky, on Wednesday where he bragged that the war was over:

We’ve won. You know, you never liked to say too early you won. We won. We won the bet — In the first hour it was over.

We’ve won. You know, you never liked to say too early you won. We won. We won the bet — In the first hour it was over.

President Trump on U.S. strikes on Iran: "We've won. Let me tell you, we've won. You know, you never like to say too early you won. We won. We won the bet—In the first hour, it was over." pic.twitter.com/Ae2dZfTK5Q— CSPAN (@cspan) March 11, 2026

President Trump on U.S. strikes on Iran: "We've won. Let me tell you, we've won. You know, you never like to say too early you won. We won. We won the bet—In the first hour, it was over." pic.twitter.com/Ae2dZfTK5Q

But he also told the crowd that “We don’t want to leave early. We want to finish the job, right?”

Trump: We don’t want to leave early. We want to finish the job right? Our military has virtually destroyed Iran pic.twitter.com/xCvRSf88qX— Acyn (@Acyn) March 11, 2026

Trump: We don’t want to leave early. We want to finish the job right? Our military has virtually destroyed Iran pic.twitter.com/xCvRSf88qX

. “Our will is endless … this is not endless.” —Hegseth

Said the secretary of War during a morning Pentagon press briefing:

From the beginning, from this podium, we haven’t stated how long it will take. Our will is endless; ultimately, the president gets to determine the end state of those objectives, right? But what he’s said continually, and I want the American people to understand, is: This is not endless. This is not protracted. We’re not allowing mission creep. The president has set a very specific mission to accomplish, and our job is to unrelentingly deliver that. And now he gets to control the throttle. He’s the one deciding … when we’re achieved those particular objectives. And so it’s not for me to posit whether it’s the beginning, the middle, or the end — that’s his.

From the beginning, from this podium, we haven’t stated how long it will take. Our will is endless; ultimately, the president gets to determine the end state of those objectives, right? But what he’s said continually, and I want the American people to understand, is: This is not endless. This is not protracted. We’re not allowing mission creep. The president has set a very specific mission to accomplish, and our job is to unrelentingly deliver that. And now he gets to control the throttle. He’s the one deciding … when we’re achieved those particular objectives. And so it’s not for me to posit whether it’s the beginning, the middle, or the end — that’s his.

Sec. Hegseth: Our will is endless, ultimately the president gets to determine the end state of those objectives...This is not endless...The president has set a very specific mission to accomplish and our job is to unrelentingly deliver that. Now, he gets to control the throttle. pic.twitter.com/18z3PUF42y— CSPAN (@cspan) March 10, 2026

Sec. Hegseth: Our will is endless, ultimately the president gets to determine the end state of those objectives...This is not endless...The president has set a very specific mission to accomplish and our job is to unrelentingly deliver that. Now, he gets to control the throttle. pic.twitter.com/18z3PUF42y

. “We have Only Just Begun to Fight.” —Department of War

An afternoon social post from the War Department’s social media team:

We have Only Just Begun to Fight. pic.twitter.com/PWM84ksTkw— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) March 9, 2026

We have Only Just Begun to Fight. pic.twitter.com/PWM84ksTkw

. “I think the war is very complete, pretty much.” —Trump

As the oil markets went haywire on Monday, March 9, Trump suggested victory was near during a phone interview with CBS News:

“I think the war is very complete, pretty much,” the president said, speaking from his Doral, Florida, golf club. “[Iran has] no navy, no communications, they’ve got no air force. Their missiles are down to a scatter. Their drones are being blown up all over the place, including their manufacturing of drones” … “We’re very far ahead of schedule” … Asked whether he thought the war could wrap up soon, the president said, “Wrapping up is all in my mind, nobody else’s.” 

“I think the war is very complete, pretty much,” the president said, speaking from his Doral, Florida, golf club. “[Iran has] no navy, no communications, they’ve got no air force. Their missiles are down to a scatter. Their drones are being blown up all over the place, including their manufacturing of drones” … “We’re very far ahead of schedule” … Asked whether he thought the war could wrap up soon, the president said, “Wrapping up is all in my mind, nobody else’s.” 

Soon after the CBS News story was published, the markets rallied and the price of a barrel of oil swung back under $100.

. “It’s going to be finished pretty quickly … We’ve already won in many ways, but we haven’t won enough.” —Trump

At the House GOP’s annual retreat on Monday, he said, “We go forward more determined than ever to achieve ultimate victory that will end this long-running danger once and for all.”

. “It’s just a little excursion.” —Trump

Little, or short, per his remarks to the House GOP:

We took a little excursion to get rid of some evil. And I think you’ll see it’s going to be a short-term excursion.

We took a little excursion to get rid of some evil. And I think you’ll see it’s going to be a short-term excursion.

. Both “very complete” and “just beginning.” —Trump

That’s how Trump responded to the disconnect between his own statements and the bluster from the Pentagon during a Monday-evening press conference:

Q: You said the war is 'very complete.' But your defense secretary says 'this is just the beginning.' So which is it?TRUMP: You could say both pic.twitter.com/4orXm5ZM4b— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 9, 2026

Q: You said the war is 'very complete.' But your defense secretary says 'this is just the beginning.' So which is it?TRUMP: You could say both pic.twitter.com/4orXm5ZM4b

He also made it sound like a nation-building project:

It’s the beginning of building a new country.

It’s the beginning of building a new country.

. Not this week, but “soon … very soon.” —Trump

Q: "On Iran: You called it an excursion, you said it would be over soon. Are you thinking this week it'll be over, or —" President Trump: "No, but soon." pic.twitter.com/s9VBB7Xf3N— CSPAN (@cspan) March 9, 2026

Q: "On Iran: You called it an excursion, you said it would be over soon. Are you thinking this week it'll be over, or —" President Trump: "No, but soon." pic.twitter.com/s9VBB7Xf3N

. A “minor excursion” that will continue “for a little while.” —Trump

Trump downplayed the possible length of the war while speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One. Per Bloomberg:

Trump added that the war would continue “for a little while” and that oil prices would come back down. “This is a minor excursion,” he said as he flew back to Florida from a military ceremony for the return of six fallen US soldiers, who were killed in the first two days of fighting.

Trump added that the war would continue “for a little while” and that oil prices would come back down. “This is a minor excursion,” he said as he flew back to Florida from a military ceremony for the return of six fallen US soldiers, who were killed in the first two days of fighting.

. “I have no time limits on anything.” —Trump

Speaking with Time, the president again kept his options open:

If the regime endures, or violently suppresses unrest again, the U.S. could face a decision it has tried to avoid: whether to send in ground forces to finish the job. Trump has not ruled out that possibility. He has said he believes the objectives of the campaign could be achieved within four or five weeks, though he concedes the timeline could stretch longer. The war will continue, he suggests, until those objectives are accomplished. “I have no time limits on anything,” he says. “I want to get it done.”

If the regime endures, or violently suppresses unrest again, the U.S. could face a decision it has tried to avoid: whether to send in ground forces to finish the job. Trump has not ruled out that possibility. He has said he believes the objectives of the campaign could be achieved within four or five weeks, though he concedes the timeline could stretch longer. The war will continue, he suggests, until those objectives are accomplished. “I have no time limits on anything,” he says. “I want to get it done.”

. “You can say four weeks, but it could be six, it could be eight, it could be three.” —Hegseth

The secretary of War gave a new range of possible lengths during his morning Pentagon press briefing, per the Associated Press:

“You can say four weeks, but it could be six, it could be eight, it could be three,” he said. “Ultimately, we set the pace and the tempo. The enemy is off balance, and we’re going to keep them off balance.”More forces continue to arrive in the region, including jet fighters and bombers, Hegseth said, and the U.S. “will take all the time we need to make sure that we succeed.”

“You can say four weeks, but it could be six, it could be eight, it could be three,” he said. “Ultimately, we set the pace and the tempo. The enemy is off balance, and we’re going to keep them off balance.”

More forces continue to arrive in the region, including jet fighters and bombers, Hegseth said, and the U.S. “will take all the time we need to make sure that we succeed.”

. “This is not endless.” —Hegseth

During his first Pentagon press briefing about the war on the morning of March 2, the secretary of War insisted it would not last forever and would not be a “nation-building quagmire”:

To the media outlets and political left screaming “Endless wars,” stop. This is not Iraq. This is not endless. This operation is a clear, devastating, decisive mission: Destroy the missile threat, destroy the navy, no nukes.

To the media outlets and political left screaming “Endless wars,” stop. This is not Iraq. This is not endless. This operation is a clear, devastating, decisive mission: Destroy the missile threat, destroy the navy, no nukes.

. “Four weeks, two weeks, six weeks.” —Hegseth

Also during his press briefing, Hegseth suggested the war could last a month and a half:

President Trump has all the latitude in the world to talk about how long it may or may not take. Four weeks, two weeks, six weeks. It could move up. It could move back. We’re going to execute at his command the objectives we’ve set out to achieve

President Trump has all the latitude in the world to talk about how long it may or may not take. Four weeks, two weeks, six weeks. It could move up. It could move back. We’re going to execute at his command the objectives we’ve set out to achieve

. “I don’t want to see it go on too long.” —Trump

Speaking with CNN anchor Jake Tapper:

I don’t want to see it go on too long. I always thought it would be four weeks, and we’re a little ahead of schedule.

I don’t want to see it go on too long. I always thought it would be four weeks, and we’re a little ahead of schedule.

. “We’re already substantially ahead of our time projections. But whatever the time is, it’s okay.” —Trump

During his public appearance since the the war began, Trump insisted that the four-to-five-week timeline was just a projection and that he won’t get bored with the war after just a few weeks, per NBC News:

“We’re already substantially ahead of our time projections. But whatever the time is, it’s OK,” Trump said during a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House as he honored four service members who were killed by Iranian retaliatory strikes over the weekend. “Whatever it takes … Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that.”He said a four-week plan to remove Iran’s military leadership has already been completed. “And as you know, that was done in about an hour,” he said. “So we’re ahead of schedule there by a lot” …During his remarks, Trump also pushed back against what he said were suggestions that he could lose interest in the conflict if it continued past “a week or two,” saying, “I don’t get bored.”“There’s nothing boring about it,” Trump added.

“We’re already substantially ahead of our time projections. But whatever the time is, it’s OK,” Trump said during a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House as he honored four service members who were killed by Iranian retaliatory strikes over the weekend. “Whatever it takes … Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that.”

He said a four-week plan to remove Iran’s military leadership has already been completed. “And as you know, that was done in about an hour,” he said. “So we’re ahead of schedule there by a lot” …

During his remarks, Trump also pushed back against what he said were suggestions that he could lose interest in the conflict if it continued past “a week or two,” saying, “I don’t get bored.”

“There’s nothing boring about it,” Trump added.

. “Wars can be fought forever.” —Trump

Said the president in a late-night Truth Social message about the U.S. munitions supply:

As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons. Wars can be fought “forever,” and very successfully, using just these supplies (which are better than other countries finest arms!). … The United States is stocked, and ready to WIN, BIG!!!

As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons. Wars can be fought “forever,” and very successfully, using just these supplies (which are better than other countries finest arms!). … The United States is stocked, and ready to WIN, BIG!!!

. “Ahead of schedule … We could do the short version or the longer version.” —Trump

During a brief call with NBC News, roughly a day and a half after the war began, the president insisted everything was going faster than expected but could still go long:

President Donald Trump told NBC News that the U.S. strikes are “ahead of schedule” and suggested one possible outcome from the attacks is “decapitating” Iran’s leadership …“There are many outcomes that are good,” he said. “Number one is decapitating them, getting rid of their whole group of killers and thugs. And there are many, many outcomes. We could do the short version or the longer version.”

President Donald Trump told NBC News that the U.S. strikes are “ahead of schedule” and suggested one possible outcome from the attacks is “decapitating” Iran’s leadership …

“There are many outcomes that are good,” he said. “Number one is decapitating them, getting rid of their whole group of killers and thugs. And there are many, many outcomes. We could do the short version or the longer version.”

. “It’ll take four weeks — or less.” —Trump

Speaking with the Daily Mail, Trump first offered a more specific longer timeline:

“It’s always been a four-week process. We figured it will be four weeks or so. It’s always been about a four-week process so — as strong as it is, it’s a big country, it’ll take four weeks — or less,” the president explained.

“It’s always been a four-week process. We figured it will be four weeks or so. It’s always been about a four-week process so — as strong as it is, it’s a big country, it’ll take four weeks — or less,” the president explained.

. “Four to five weeks.” —Trump

The timeline got a little longer in an interview with the New York Times:

Asked how long the United States and Israel could keep up this level of attacks, he responded: “Well, we intended four to five weeks.”

Asked how long the United States and Israel could keep up this level of attacks, he responded: “Well, we intended four to five weeks.”

. “A massive and ongoing operation.” —Trump

The president did not offer a timeline for the war when he announced it had begun in the early morning hours of February 28.

. “Several days.” —U.S. official

The first estimate of the war’s length came from an unnamed U.S. official to Reuters shortly after it began.

. “I can go long and take over the whole thing or end it in two or three days.” —Trump

The president, during a brief phone interview with Axios:

I can go long and take over the whole thing, or end it in two or three days and tell the Iranians, “See you again in a few years if you start rebuilding [your nuclear and missile programs]”

I can go long and take over the whole thing, or end it in two or three days and tell the Iranians, “See you again in a few years if you start rebuilding [your nuclear and missile programs]”

. “Throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!” —Trump

Said Trump in his Truth Social message confirming the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei:

Hopefully, the IRGC and Police will peacefully merge with the Iranian Patriots, and work together as a unit to bring back the Country to the Greatness it deserves. That process should soon be starting in that, not only the death of Khamenei but the Country has been, in only one day, very much destroyed and, even, obliterated. The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!

Hopefully, the IRGC and Police will peacefully merge with the Iranian Patriots, and work together as a unit to bring back the Country to the Greatness it deserves. That process should soon be starting in that, not only the death of Khamenei but the Country has been, in only one day, very much destroyed and, even, obliterated. The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!

This post has been updated.

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