Washington, DC [US], April 1 : US President Donald Trump has stated that he is not ready "quite yet" to withdraw American military assets from the ongoing efforts to force Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
In an exclusive conversation with CBS News on Tuesday, Trump expressed continued frustration with international allies, suggesting they must eventually take responsibility for securing the vital maritime route.
The remarks follow a recent social media post where Trump indicated that allies should manage the situation themselves.
While he reiterated his disappointment that other nations, including the UK, had not deployed military assets to join the US-Israeli war against Iran, he clarified that he is not pulling American forces out of the effort yet.
"At some point I will, not quite yet. But countries have to come in and take care of it. Iran has been decimated, but they're going to have to come in and do their own work," Trump told CBS News.
Despite persistent Iranian strikes on shipping and regional infrastructure, Trump maintained that "there's no real threat" in the Strait of Hormuz, which facilitates 20 per cent of the global oil supply.
He argued that if other nations require oil, they should take an active role in securing it.
"I'll be there, but if they're having a hard time getting oil, let them come and take it like they're supposed to. Let them come up and take it. They didn't want to give a hand to anybody. NATO is terrible, and they're all terrible. So if they want oil, come up and grab it. There's no real threat, there's no substantial threat because the country [Iran] has been decimated," Trump said during the CBS News call, adding, "It's about time they did something for themselves."
Amid the conflict, fuel costs in the US have seen a significant spike, with the national average for a gallon officially surpassing USD 4 on Tuesday for the first time in over three years.
When questioned by CBS News about this milestone, Trump predicted that prices would drop "when we leave" once the hostilities conclude.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed this sentiment, stating that "When Operation Epic Fury is complete, gas prices will plummet back to the multi-year lows American drivers enjoyed before these short-term disruptions."
While Trump did not provide a specific timeline for the conclusion of US military operations, he noted, "It won't be long," and claimed the mission is currently "two weeks ahead of schedule."
Although he initially estimated the war would last "4 to 6 weeks," the conflict has now entered its fifth week.
Trump further asserted that Iran has "no military might anymore. They are down on everything they had. They're a mess."
He claimed the mission has achieved its primary goals, telling CBS News, "We've done our job," while citing a "total regime change" that has resulted in a more "reasonable" leadership in Tehran.
Regarding the objective of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, Trump declined to confirm if victory could be declared without the removal of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile.
Referencing the US-Israeli bombing of nuclear sites last June, he described the facilities as "obliterated" and "deeply buried," making it difficult for any future development.
"It's down there deep. And they haven't been able to do it. You know, even without a war they haven't been able to do it. So... it's pretty safe. But, you know, we'll make a determination," Trump said.