US President Donald Trump on 5 May declared that American military action against Iran was "going very well," asserting that Tehran's military capabilities had been largely destroyed and warning that Iran must never be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. Speaking at the White House during an event marking National Small Business Week, Trump described the operation as both necessary and effective.

Trump's Claims on Iran's Military Capability

Trump made sweeping assertions about the scale of damage inflicted on Iran's armed forces. "They have no navy. They have no air force. They have no anti-aircraft equipment. They have no radar. They have no nothing," he said. He further claimed that Iran's leadership had been disrupted, adding, "They have no leaders, actually. The leaders happen to be gone also."

Trump characterised the campaign as limited in scope but decisive in outcome. "I call it a mini war," he said, while insisting that US forces were achieving their stated objectives. NationPress could not independently verify these claims, and no official Pentagon casualty or damage assessment was cited at the event.

The Nuclear Weapons Warning

Central to Trump's remarks was the issue of nuclear non-proliferation. "We can't let Iran have a nuclear weapon," he said, framing the military action as a pre-emptive measure against a far greater long-term threat. This comes amid years of stalled diplomacy over Iran's nuclear programme, which Western powers and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have long flagged as a proliferation risk.

Public Support and Political Pushback

Trump acknowledged that polling data showed limited public approval for the operation. "They said only 32 per cent of the people like it… but when you explain it… it wouldn't be 32 per cent," he said, suggesting that broader context would shift opinion. Critics have raised concerns about the legal basis for the strikes and the absence of congressional authorisation, though Trump did not address those points directly at the event.

Oil Prices and Financial Markets

Trump linked the military campaign to global energy markets, arguing that earlier fears of a dramatic price spike had not materialised. "They thought that energy would be at $300… and it's like at $100… and I think going down," he said. He suggested that supply constraints were easing and that prices could fall further once the conflict stabilises. Trump also pointed to equity markets as a sign of economic resilience. "We have a stock market that hit — even with this military operation — all new highs," he said. The remarks signal that the administration is watching economic indicators closely as the operation continues.