WASHINGTON, D.C., March 2026 — President Donald Trump has officially lauded the success of “Operation Epic Fury,” claiming the high-stakes military campaign has effectively dismantled Iran’s maritime and nuclear capabilities in record time. Addressing a room of Republican representatives, the President asserted that the world is witnessing the result of a $1 trillion investment in the U.S. military.

The Decimation of the Iranian Fleet

In a blunt assessment of the naval conflict, President Trump declared that the Iranian Navy has been systematically “lying at the bottom of the ocean”. According to the President, U.S. forces successfully neutralized 46 Iranian ships in just three and a half days.

Reflecting on the tactical decisions made during the heat of the operation, Trump sparked conversation by detailing a conversation with military personnel regarding the sinking of enemy vessels. “I said, ‘Why did we just capture the ship? We could have used it.’ They said, ‘It’s more fun to sink them… it’s safer to sink them.’ I guess it’s probably true”.

“Midnight Hammer” and Nuclear Deterrence

The President also highlighted “Operation Midnight Hammer,” a precursor to the current strikes that he claims was pivotal in preventing a nuclear escalation. Trump asserted that the operation “knocked out their nuclear potential,” claiming that Tehran was within two weeks of possessing a functional nuclear weapon.

The strikes have not only targeted hardware but the very structure of the Iranian state. Trump noted that multiple levels of Iranian leadership have been eliminated, leaving the country in a state of administrative paralysis where “nobody has any idea who the people are that are going to be the head of the country”.

A Contrast in Global Respect

Trump used the podium to contrast the current “overwhelming display of military force” with past U.S. foreign policy challenges. He specifically criticized the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the 1979 hostage crisis as moments of national embarrassment. “The world respects us right now more than they have ever respected us before,” he claimed, adding that even longtime regional rivals are now acknowledging American technical skill.

Domestic Friction and the Border Crisis

Despite the military triumphs abroad, the President turned a critical eye toward domestic politics. He accused the “Democrat minority” in Congress of sabotaging national security by refusing to affirm Iran as a leading state sponsor of terror.

Linking international security to domestic safety, Trump criticized the current shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. He alleged that while U.S. service members fight abroad, “illegal alien criminals” and individuals from “insane asylums” continue to cross the southern border due to administrative negligence.

Bottom Line

President Trump maintains that the U.S. will not relent until the enemy is “totally and decisively defeated”. While the operation has come at a cost—marked by the President’s recent visit to Dover Air Force Base to honor fallen warriors—his message is one of absolute finality. After 47 years of regional tension, Trump believes the “long-running danger” is being ended once and for all.