President Donald Trump asserted on Monday that certain news organizations desired the United States to fail in its confrontation with Iran. Speaking with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, the president strongly defended the ongoing military campaign against Tehran and indicated that a new series of strikes could be imminent.
Media Scrutiny and Iran's Status
Trump contended that despite Iran's military forces being significantly weakened, they continued to receive sympathetic coverage in the press. He stated, "All they do is talk and they have fake press. They do very well with the fake press, but because the fake news wants us to lose."
He specifically called out The New York Times, claiming the publication had recently suggested Iran was in a stronger position than it had been prior to the commencement of the U.S.-Israeli military operations. "It’s not even, I mean, The New York Times, they actually said a week ago — I can’t imagine they say it now, but think of it. They have no Navy, have no Air Force, have no anything. They have no military, they have nothing," Trump remarked.
The president also highlighted what he described as a dramatic rise in Iran's inflation rates, continuing his critique of the Times. He stated, "And the Times said, and their inflation, by the way, just hit 301%, from 5%. They said, ‘Oh, they’re in better shape now than they were four months ago before I started.’" Trump did not provide the title or author of the specific Times article he was referencing.
Impending Military Actions and Specific Targets
Following recent exchanges of missile and drone attacks between the two nations, President Trump issued a warning that additional American military actions were impending. He declared, "We’re going to hit them very hard tonight, and we’re going to hit them hard tomorrow, and there’s not a damn thing they can do about it."
Trump specifically mentioned "Pickaxe Mountain," an extensively fortified underground complex situated near Iran's damaged Natanz uranium enrichment facility, as a potential target. He described it as, "Pickaxe is a possible, you know, a possible target for a nice big fat shot right near the front door."
The president asserted that American surveillance capabilities were actively monitoring the location and claimed that Iran had not restarted nuclear development there. "We’re watching it closely. We see no activity there. They’re not doing well with their nuclear. Every time we hear about it, we blow it up, so they don't like talking about it, but we'll probably give Pickaxe a shot relatively soon," Trump said.
According to a Reuters report, Pickaxe Mountain encompasses two deeply buried tunnel complexes that experts believe might be beyond the reach of the powerful bunker-busting bombs currently in the U.S. arsenal.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors have never been granted access to the Pickaxe Mountain site. Analysis of satellite imagery from late June indicated vehicle activity near the western tunnel entrances of the site, suggesting potential ongoing construction or fortification efforts.
Nuclear Concerns and Naval Blockade
Trump additionally contended that Iran’s leadership could not be trusted with nuclear weaponry. He commented, "And frankly, if they ever had a nuclear weapon, they’d use it within one day."
These remarks from President Trump coincided with an announcement from U.S. Central Command that it would resume its blockade of vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports beginning Tuesday. The military stated that humanitarian shipments would be permitted passage but cautioned that force might be employed against ships failing to comply.
