Video: Trump downplays Iran war, calls it 'practice' during Wisconsin event
[Editor’s Note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog for the latest regional developments with the US-Israel-Iran ceasefire now in effect.]
US President Donald Trump referred to the ongoing Iran conflict as “not really a war,” describing it instead as a “military conflict” and a “practice,” during a campaign event in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin on Friday, June 2.
Speaking at a roundtable with farmers, Trump said the United States had made progress in dealing with Iran, claiming efforts had “largely finished” a situation he described as a potential nuclear threat.
“We were having record stuff and then we had to put out a fire. We had to extinguish a nuclear weapon… this was going to be a very capable country that was going to have a massive nuclear presence. And we weren’t gonna let that happen,” he said, adding that the outcome was either already resolved or close to completion.
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He also suggested that any resolution would come “one way or the other,” adding it could be through a formal agreement or a more difficult path, while hinting at ongoing negotiations with Tehran.
“As you know with Iran, they have no navy… four days 159 ships at the bottom of the sea. Not that we like that but that’s the way it is. And the blockade is unbelievable,” Trump said.
Watch the video below, as posted by the White House:
The US president also pointed to recent economic data, saying job numbers had exceeded expectations despite the conflict.
“I’m delighted to report that for third month in a row, the jobs numbers… smashed all expectations by actually three times,” he said, adding that 172,000 jobs were created in May.
Trump used the event to urge voters to support Republicans ahead of upcoming elections, warning of economic consequences if Democrats return to power.
The Wisconsin stop is part of a broader campaign effort focused on rural voters, with Trump linking energy prices, agriculture costs, and international tensions to domestic economic concerns.
