Donald Trump has dismissed the six-month conflict with Iran as “small potatoes”, despite deaths among US service members and renewed strikes across the Middle East.
The US president described the fighting as a “military conflict” rather than a full-scale war, arguing that it was limited in scope for America.
“A lot of people don’t call it a war. I call it a military conflict because it’s small potatoes for us,” Mr Trump said. “It’s not a big thing.”
His remarks came after the latest exchange of attacks between Washington and Tehran, following a brief lull in military action. US Central Command said American forces had struck Iranian air-defence sites, radar systems and maritime assets.
Iran responded with missile and drone attacks against targets in the region, including areas hosting American forces and US allies.
The conflict has now continued for more than six months, despite repeated suggestions from the Trump administration that it would be short-lived. Vice-President JD Vance also rejected the description of the fighting as a war this week, saying there was no “active shooting” at the time of his comments.
The White House has increasingly combined military action with economic pressure, including sanctions and efforts to restrict Iran’s trade. The administration has also faced concern over rising energy prices and the political impact of the conflict ahead of November’s congressional elections.
