Donald Trump’s Iran Navy Boast Sinks With Embarrassing Gaffe

Critics quickly seized on the president's phrasing.

Donald Trump raised eyebrows for the way in which he boasted about US forces wiping out Iranian ships.

Trump posted on his Truth Social platform on Sunday:

“I have just been informed that we have destroyed and sunk 9 Iranian Naval Ships, some of them relatively large and important. We are going after the rest — They will soon be floating at the bottom of the sea, also!”

"I have just been informed that we have destroyed and sunk 9 Iranian Naval Ships, some of them relatively large and important. We are going after the rest — They will soon be floating at the bottom of the sea, also!" - President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/cIczM80K1Z— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 1, 2026

"I have just been informed that we have destroyed and sunk 9 Iranian Naval Ships, some of them relatively large and important. We are going after the rest — They will soon be floating at the bottom of the sea, also!" - President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/cIczM80K1Z

Critics quickly seized on the phrasing, noting how sunken vessels generally don’t float.

The boast came as the US military continued to escalate its major combat operations in the country, which began on Saturday.

Three US troops have been killed and five others seriously wounded in the operation. Trump has acknowledged that there could be further casualties in the conflict, which he has suggested may last up to a month.

Floating or sitting? 🤔— Carl Howard (@carlfhoward) March 1, 2026

Floating or sitting? 🤔

Floating at the bottom of the sea? That is a new one.— Jamie A. (@trsman76) March 1, 2026

Floating at the bottom of the sea? That is a new one.

Floating at the bottom of the sea? I don’t see how this works. 🤷— Adam Grumbo (@grumbofilms) March 1, 2026

Floating at the bottom of the sea? I don’t see how this works. 🤷

thats not how floating works— Beamish (@djDriverless) March 1, 2026

thats not how floating works

Somebody tell grandpa it’s impossible for a ship to float at the bottom of the sea.— Denison Barb (@DenisonBarbs) March 1, 2026

Somebody tell grandpa it’s impossible for a ship to float at the bottom of the sea.

I think when it reaches the bottom of the ocean, it stops floating, sir.— D (@dschorrnyc) March 1, 2026

I think when it reaches the bottom of the ocean, it stops floating, sir.

Uhh, sunken ships at the bottom of the sea don't float.— lepxii stands for: Λ{ε * π} = ξ × ι (@lepxii) March 1, 2026

Uhh, sunken ships at the bottom of the sea don't float.

But you can’t float at the bottom …. 🤣— disciple13.eth (@Disciple_13) March 1, 2026

But you can’t float at the bottom …. 🤣

How does a ship "float" at the bottom of the sea exactly?— Modified Dow Theory Signals (@CaptainScio) March 1, 2026

How does a ship "float" at the bottom of the sea exactly?

Change the word floating to sitting! You can’t float on the bottom of the sea!— KATE ZAHN 👽🛸 (@0IIIIIII0_GIRL) March 1, 2026

Change the word floating to sitting! You can’t float on the bottom of the sea!

They can’t float in the bottom. That’s sinking.— Sandi Slonjšak (@sandislonjsak) March 1, 2026

They can’t float in the bottom. That’s sinking.

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