Trump Flat Out Declares Iran Is Already ‘Decimated for a 10-Year Period’

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

President Donald Trump on Thursday claimed that Iran has been decimated to the point that it will take a decade for the country to be rebuilt.

Under Trump’s directive, U.S. forces have launched extensive strikes on Iran. The attack was a joint operation with Israel, and the conflict has resulted in Iran targeting both Israel and U.S. bases across the Middle East.

The Trump administration has repeatedly touted the success of the mission. In a phone call with ABC News’s Jonathan Karl, the president explained why he wasn’t concerned about the immediate aftermath of the war. Karl tweeted:

In a lengthy phone interview, President Trump marveled at the success of the military operation against Iran and expressed no concern about what comes next.

“I hope you are impressed,” he said to me. “How do you like the performance? I mean, Venezuela is obvious. This might be even better. How do you like the performance?”

I said nobody questions the success of the military operation, the concern is what happens next.

“Forget about next,” he answered. “They are decimated for a 10-year period before they could build it back.”

During that same phone call, Trump fired back at Tucker Carlson for his criticism of the operation in Iran. The president claimed Carlson “lost his way” and that he was no longer part of the MAGA movement.

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