Trump, Fox's Laura Ingraham Spar Over State of Iran Conflict: 'I Thought We Decimated Them'

President Donald Trump found himself in a spirited back-and-forth with Fox News host Laura Ingraham this week over the ongoing military conflict with Iran, as the veteran anchor pressed the president on how Tehran continues launching attacks despite repeated administration claims of overwhelming military success.
The exchange aired on "The Ingraham Angle" from Dallas, Texas, where Trump was attending the Republican Party's midterm convention.

When Ingraham noted that Iran continues firing on U.S. Navy vessels, Trump quickly interjected, pointing to the destruction of nine Iranian tankers and once again promising the conflict would conclude "right after the election."

Ingraham pushed back, citing Wall Street Journal reporting that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance privately believe the war could stretch on well past the upcoming election, potentially lasting until January 2029.

"I'm not gonna say when, but I think it ends right after the election," Trump reiterated, insisting Iran is "limping along" and "in deep trouble."
Ingraham then posed a pointed question about continued Iranian missile strikes on U.S. military assets in the region. "How are they getting off missiles? I thought we decimated them," she asked.

Trump acknowledged Iran retains "some" projectiles despite being "largely wiped out." Ingraham suggested that without the Iran conflict, Trump would be "cruising to midterm victory" on the strength of cheaper gas prices, a claim Trump disputed. Asked directly whether he had any regrets about his handling of the war, Trump said no, adding that he would "do it exactly" the same way if given the chance again.

Trump argued that Iran is doing everything possible to push him out of office because Tehran believes Democrats would allow the country to obtain a nuclear weapon — something he insisted his actions have prevented. He acknowledged Ingraham's own skepticism about the war but maintained his position that stopping Iran from going nuclear justified the conflict.

Ingraham noted that even some neoconservative voices are now arguing that if the U.S. is going to fight Iran, it should do so decisively rather than continuing an open-ended conflict. Trump responded that political considerations tied to the election may be shaping his approach.

The exchange capped off a revealing, occasionally tense interview that laid bare growing questions — even among Trump's usual allies in conservative media — about how and when the Iran conflict will ultimately come to an end.