President Donald Trump announced that he opted for a ceasefire agreement with Iran to avert a global economic downturn. He also claimed that he has not learned any lessons about the limits of power from the Iran conflict, asserting that his authority knows no bounds.
In an interview with Axios on June 18, Trump reflected on the war with Iran. He initially demanded Iran's unconditional surrender but ultimately concluded the conflict with a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to prevent a global economic recession.
Responding to criticism from hardliners about why the U.S. did not take a tougher stance against Iran, Trump said, "The only way I could be tougher is to bomb Iran for another two to three weeks. But what would we gain from that? Even then, the Strait of Hormuz would not be opened." He added, "If that happens, we would be unable to secure oil for months. Bombing would automatically close the Strait of Hormuz," warning that this could trigger a worldwide economic recession.
Following the announcement of the MOU between the U.S. and Iran, significant backlash has emerged within the Republican Party, with critics arguing that the Trump administration has made excessive concessions to Iran without achieving substantial results.
Axios reported that Trump expressed concerns to aides about a potential global oil shock if the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz continues, especially as U.S. oil reserves begin to dwindle.
When asked whether he learned about the limits of power from the Iran conflict, Trump responded, "There are no limits to my power. I have not learned that lesson yet." He insisted, "We completely defeated them militarily," and suggested that the MOU could be seen as a form of unconditional surrender.
Additionally, Trump claimed that the U.S. has clearly demonstrated its military strength against Iran. He stated, "Who else could have implemented a maritime blockade like we did? I enforced a blockade so tight that not a single ship could escape. Some tried, but they didn't last long."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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