Trump Tells Fox News 'We Shouldn't Have Been in Iran' — Stunning Reversal of War Justification

In a Fox News interview with his daughter-in-law Lara Trump aired on June 1, 2026 — Day 93 of the US-Iran war — President Trump made a stunning admission: 'We shouldn't have been there in the first place... We shouldn't have been in Iran.' The statement directly contradicts his prior justifications for launching Operation Epic Fury on February 28, 2026, which he had described as essential to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear breakout capability. In the same interview, Trump also claimed the US 'left their military alone' and described Iran's military as 'somewhat moderate' — contradicting earlier administration claims that Iran's military was effectively destroyed. Trump simultaneously asserted that B-2 bomber strikes had prevented Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. Over the preceding weekend (May 31–June 1), US forces conducted additional strikes on Iranian radar installations, drone sites, and the island of Qeshm; Iran retaliated against a US military base in Kuwait. Iran's IRGC-linked media announced the IRGC was considering suspending indirect talks with the United States. Trump posted on Truth Social that 'Iran really wants to make a deal' and urged critics to 'sit back and relax.'