Trump Warns the Islamic Republic: I Don't Want to Waste Fuel on a B-2 Bomber Flight Again

On Monday, January 8, U.S. President Donald Trump met and discussed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida. After the meeting, Trump spoke with reporters alongside Netanyahu and repeatedly addressed Iran. Trump stated that there were many 'summaries' with the Israeli side and that there was 'very little disagreement between our views and where we want to go and the path we want to take.' Netanyahu also mentioned that Israel has not had a better friend than Donald Trump in the White House. He praised Trump's 'principled positions' and his 'willingness to go straight to the point and set aside the margins,' adding that 'he has achieved remarkable successes in the Middle East because we have worked together.' Netanyahu further announced that his country has decided to break a 'norm' by awarding Trump with an 'Israeli prize' that has never been given to a non-Israeli in nearly 80 years. Trump referred to this year's attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, saying, 'If we hadn't done what we did with [the Islamic Republic of] Iran, just to put it a little differently, you wouldn't have peace in the Middle East today, no agreements would be signed in the Middle East, there would be no agreements at all.' He emphasized that other Arab countries could not agree to peace in the Middle East due to a dark shadow cast over everything. Trump stated that Iran's power and credibility have significantly diminished, saying, 'I don't want to use the word 'humiliation' because you know they are trying to rebuild again, but we cannot allow them to rebuild, because if they do, there will be no peace in the Middle East.' He reflected on the mistake made when Iraq was destroyed, stating that Iraq and Iran were almost on equal footing and had fought each other for a thousand years under different names. He warned that if Iran attempts to rebuild its nuclear and missile programs, the U.S. would have no choice but to eliminate that process quickly. Trump expressed hope that Iran is not accumulating weapons and stated that if they do, they would not use the sites that were destroyed but perhaps other sites. He reassured that they know exactly where Iran is going and what they are doing. Trump praised Netanyahu's performance as Prime Minister, stating that if eight out of ten prime ministers were in his position now or even earlier, there might not be an Israeli state anymore. He also mentioned that he believes Netanyahu's name will be recorded in history books. Trump referred to Qassem Soleimani as a 'bad guy who was doing bad things' and indicated that the situation began with the negotiations with Iran, likely starting from Soleimani's elimination. When asked about the likelihood of another war with Iran, Trump noted that although they hear reports, 'where there is smoke, there is fire.' He added that they have heard that Iran has not yet become nuclear but may head in that direction. Trump expressed support for negotiations, stating that he had advocated for dialogue even before the war, urging Iran to negotiate. He acknowledged Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's significant role in removing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, stating that Erdoğan deserves much credit for his actions. Trump also mentioned that if Hamas is not disarmed, hell awaits them.