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‘Small potatoes’: US President Trump downplays war on Iran
Al Jazeera • • nation
Key Points:
- President Donald Trump has downplayed the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran, calling it “small potatoes” and a “military conflict” rather than a war, despite 18 US service members killed and rising global energy prices.
- Vice President JD Vance also minimized the conflict, describing it as having no active shooting currently and lasting major combat operations of only six weeks, a view Trump partially endorsed.
- Trump’s reluctance to label the conflict a war aligns with strategic efforts to avoid seeking congressional approval, as the US Constitution grants Congress the sole power to declare war; a recent bipartisan resolution urged Trump to halt military actions or seek authorization.
- Public opinion remains largely against the military strikes, with nearly 60% of US adults disapproving, and the conflict has contributed to higher fuel prices and regional instability.
- The Trump administration plans to intensify economic sanctions on Iran, with Trump pledging the “most crushing economic operation ever,” and hinted at possible further military strikes, including on Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain near Natanz.
