Trump says US is ‘far ahead of schedule’ in Iran war: ‘Very much complete’

It will be complete when the oil is flowing again.

Trump says US is ‘far ahead of schedule’ in Iran war: ‘Very much complete’

By Ronny Reyes

Published March 9, 2026

President Trump declared the war with Iran “is very complete” and “far ahead of schedule” — as he also considers taking control of the Strait of Hormuz trade route under siege by the Islamic Republic.

Trump hailed Operation Epic Fury as a success on Monday, suggesting that his previous prediction of a multi-week war may not be necessary.

“I think the war is very complete, pretty much,” the president told CBS news.

“[Iran has] no navy, no communications, they’ve got no air force. Their missiles are down to a scatter,” he added. “…”If you look, they have nothing left. There’s nothing left in a military sense.”

“We’re very far ahead of schedule,” Trump said of the war, which is in its second week.

Trump had previously said that he expected the war to last at least “four weeks or so” to accomplish America’s goal and decimating Iran’s ballistic missile program and its nuclear enrichment program.

Trump was interviewed by CBS hours before he told Republican lawmakers that the war against Iran will be a “short-term excursion.”

“We took a little excursion because we felt we had to do that to get rid of some evil,” Trump said in remarks during a House Republican conference meeting in Miami, “And, I think you’ll see it’s going to be a short-term excursion.”

During the Florida meeting, the president also gloated at the intensity of the attack on Iran over the past week.

“I think the war is very complete, pretty much,” the president told CBS news.

“Iran was supposed to be this big, powerful country. We wrapped the hell out of them,” the president added. “I don’t know when they cry uncle, but they should’ve cried it two days ago. But they don’t have anything left.

“We’ve already won in many ways, but we haven’t won enough.”

Along with praising the more than 3,000 targeted strikes against Iran’s regime so far, the president floated the idea of having the US take over the Strait Of Hormuz, a vital commercial shipping route where about 20% of the global oil supply flows through.

Passage through the strait has been effectively halted since the war began, with Iran attacking merchant vessels that attempt to go through the route.

Trump said the US “could do a lot” with the strait under American control, warning Iran to keep the passage clear or else he would obliterate the Islamic Republic.

“They’ve shot everything they have to shoot, and they better not try anything cute or it’s going to be the end of that country,” Trump said. “…If they do anything bad, that would be the end of Iran and you’d never hear the name again.”