Washington: US President Donald Trump has publicly denied having ever promised not to initiate any new wars during his presidency. In an interview broadcast by NBC News on Sunday, Trump stated, "I didn't guarantee no war. Why would I have built the strongest military in the world?" His comments come amid ongoing tensions with Iran, a situation he claims is not an "endless" war. Trump emphasized that the conflict, which has been ongoing for three months, has largely been managed under a "pretty good form of ceasefire."
According to Ghana News Agency, despite Trump's assertions of the conflict nearing its conclusion, the weeks have passed with no visible progress between Washington and Tehran. Throughout his 2024 election campaign, Trump championed the slogan "No wars," positioning himself as a leader who would not start new conflicts, appealing to supporters of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. Post-election, Trump assured the public, "I'm not going to start a war. I'm going to stop wars."
Nevertheless, Trump has expressed no intention of withdrawing US troops from the region, stating, "It's unlikely... But I think we'll keep them there until such time as we have a completion." He argued that maintaining military presence incurs minimal costs and suggested that troops might be necessary to influence Iran's position in negotiations. NBC News reports approximately 50,000 US troops are stationed in the area, a point of contention as Tehran demands their complete withdrawal as part of any framework agreement to conclude the conflict.