Trump’s Record of Deluded War Boasts Comes Back to Bite Him

Donald Trump has boasted about winning the war against Iran at least 66 times since launching his strikes six months ago, according to a new Daily Beast analysis.

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The conflict—which has claimed the lives of 18 U.S. servicemen and women—reached the milestone with peace talks in tatters and no end in sight.

The reality is that the war the president insisted on March 1 would be over in “four to five weeks” appears to have emboldened the Iranian regime even though most of its leadership was wiped out and its military took some major hits.

Over the last six months, the president’s approval ratings have tumbled while gas prices have reached record highs because of the war and the resulting chaos in the Strait of Hormuz, a primary oil route.

Perhaps even more damaging for Trump, it has fractured his MAGA base and left Republican candidates defending a war they were not given the option of voting for or against in Congress.

In July, Hunter Biden mocked the president, saying he planned to nominate Trump for ending “the war with Iran at least 38 times.”

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“No President in History has ended the same war so many times,” Biden, 56, wrote on X.

In fact, according to our research, Trump has celebrated America’s success in Iran 66 times since Feb. 28. On March 7, he dismissed Britain’s reticence in joining the attacks, saying: “We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!”

A few days later, on March 11, he said: “Let me tell you, we’ve won. You know, you never like to say too early you won. We won. We won the—in the first hour, it was over. We won.”

By June 14, Trump was claiming on Truth Social that a peace deal with Iran was done and dusted, with America the victor. “The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all!” he wrote.

But on Friday, on the six-month anniversary of the first strike, true victory looked as far away as ever.

As often as Trump brags about how successful the military operation has been, the war with Iran is turning out to be the biggest blunder of his two terms in the White House. And it could prove to be the nadir of his downfall if the midterm elections become a public referendum on his decision to break his campaign promises and take America to war.

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Here are the 66 times Trump has trumpeted his “victory.”

MARCH 2026

• 1st: Tells The New York Times during a private phone call that the Iran conflict should take “four to five weeks” and that it “won’t be difficult”
• 5th: During White House ceremony honoring Inter Miami CF, Trump says the U.S .is “totally demolishing the enemy far ahead of schedule and at levels that people have never seen before” and that the U.S. is “destroying more of Iran’s missile and drone capability every single hour, knocking them out like nobody thought was possible.”
• 7th: While addressing the press during the dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base, “We’re winning the war by a lot. We’ve decimated their whole evil empire.” Posts on Truth Social that the U.S. does not need U.K. aid because, “We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!”
• 9th: In phone call with CBS News, Trump says: “I think the war is very complete, pretty much…If you look, they have nothing left. There’s nothing left in a military sense.”
• 11th: During Kentucky rally, Trump states: “Let me tell you, we’ve won. You know, you never like to say too early you won. We won. We won the—in the first hour, it was over. We won.”

• 15th: Aboard Air Force One, Trump addresses a pool of reporters and claims, “We’ve essentially defeated Iran. Uh, I guess they can have a little bit of fight back, but not much. Not much.”
• 17th: During an Oval Office meeting with the prime minister of Ireland, Micheál Martin, Trump said that “Iran is something that was essentially largely over in two or three days, because the Navy was wiped out almost immediately.”
• 19th: Trump meets with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and explains, “I mean, we’ve—we’ve demolished—that country is close to demolished. The only thing is the Strait.”
• 20th: Speaking to reporters before Marine One departure, he says: “We’ve knocked out their navy, their air force. We’ve knocked out their anti-aircraft. We’ve knocked out everything. We’re roaming free. From a military standpoint, all they’re doing is clogging up the strait. But from a military standpoint, they’re finished.”

• 23rd: Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One and claims there have been “strong talks” of a deal with Iran and that “if it goes well, we’re going to end up with settling this. Otherwise, we’ll just keep bombing our little hearts out.”
• 24th: Trump addresses reporters during the swearing-in ceremony of Markwayne Mullin and says: “You know, I don’t like to say this, we’ve won this—this war has been won. The only one that likes to keep it going is the fake news.”
• 26th: During a Cabinet meeting, Trump says, “We estimated it would take approximately four to six weeks to achieve our mission. 26 days in, we’re extremely—really a lot ahead of schedule. The Iranian regime is now admitting to itself that they have been decisively defeated.”
• 29th: He addresses reporters before Air Force One departure and says, “I think we’ll make a deal with them, pretty sure.”
• 30th: His Truth Social post claims, “The United States of America is in serious discussions with A NEW, AND MORE REASONABLE, REGIME to end our Military Operations in Iran. Great progress has been made.”

April 2026

• 1st: Delivers primetime address claiming: “Our armed forces have delivered swift, decisive, overwhelming victories on the battlefield, victories as few people have ever seen before. Tonight, Iran’s Navy is gone, their Air Force is in ruins. Their leaders, most of them terrorists, regime they led are now dead. Their command and control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is being decimated as we speak.”
• 7th: Posts on Truth Social: “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.” He later tells Agence France-Press after agreeing to a two-week ceasefire: “Total and complete victory. 100 percent. No question about it”
• 12th: Truth Social post after Iran did not include nuclear weapons in agreement: “We are fully ‘LOCKED AND LOADED,’ and our Military will finish up the little that is left of Iran!”
• 16th: During a roundtable on taxes and tips in Las Vegas, Trump said, “I will say the war in Iran is going along swimmingly. We can do whatever we want. And it should be, it should be ending pretty soon. It was, uh, perfect. I mean, it’s perfect. It was the power we have. Our military, we have the most powerful military anywhere in the world.”
• 17th: Gives update on Iran deal with Truth Social posts, writing that “OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE. THIS PROCESS SHOULD GO VERY QUICKLY IN THAT MOST OF THE POINTS ARE ALREADY NEGOTIATED.”
• 25th: Addresses reporters at Palm Beach Airport, “We have all the cards. They have no military left, practically. They have no leaders left. We don’t know who the leaders are. Nobody knows who the leaders—I don’t think they know who the leaders are,” and later reiterates that “We have all the cards. We’ve won everything. We have all the cards.”
• 28th: Truth Social post claiming that Iran is in a “state of collapse.”

MAY 2026

• 2nd: Speaking to reporters at Palm Beach Airport, “Doing very well with regard to just about everything, but doing very well with regard to Iran. Again, they want to make a deal. They’re decimated. They’re having a hard time figuring out who their leader is “
• 5th: Announces in a Truth Social post that Project Freedom will be paused due to “the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran.”
• 6th: During a Military Mothers event at the White House, Trump says: “We have it very much under control. The blockade is unbelievable. The Navy has been incredible. The job they did, it’s like a—it’s like a wall of steel, nobody goes through, in particular, the Iranians.” Later in an interview with PBS, Trump says that there is a “very good chance” of making a deal.
• 10th: In a Full Measureinterview with Sharyl Attkisson, Trump says of Iran: “They are militarily defeated. They have no navy. They have no air force. They have no anti-aircraft weaponry. They have no radar. They have no leaders. Their leaders are gone. The first set—the A-team — is gone. The B-team is gone. And part of the C-team is gone.”

• 11th: In town pool reporting, George Condon from the National Journal writes that Trump said Iran “was defeated” and that “we’re doing a service to the world… We’re going to have a complete victory.”
• 19th: As Trump leads reporters on a tour of the White House ballroom construction site, he says: “They have a little ability. Their missiles are 82 percent gone, we estimate. Their capacity to build is very little right now because we hit all of their manufacturing areas. Same thing with drones, they’re largely gone, but they still have a little capacity, yeah. Not much, but they have a little. Their Navy is completely gone; their Air Force is completely gone.”
• 20th: During Commencement Address at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, he says, “Everything’s gone. Their Navy’s gone. Their Air Force is gone. Just about everything. You know, the only question is, do we go and finish it up or are they gonna be signing a document?”
• 21st: Gives remarks in the Oval Office with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and claims: “We have total control of the Strait of Hormuz, as you know, with our blockade,” and “We have the greatest military anywhere in the world. We wiped out their navy. We knocked—wiped out their air—I think they’re down to about—I would say we knocked out 85 percent of their missile capacity.”
• 23rd: In a phone interview with CBS’ Nancy Cordes, he says the U.S. is “getting closer” to signing a deal, and if not, there will be “a situation where no country will ever be hit as hard as they’re about to be hit.”
• 28th: In an interview with Lara Trump for Fox News, he says, “This is really a win already. We’ve defeated their military, essentially defeated their military.” He goes on to add: “They’re crafty. But in the end, we have all the cards because we’ve defeated them militarily. Look, they have no navy,” and “Well, we’re winning Iran. It’s a total win for us.”

JUNE 2026

• 3rd: In remarks at an Executive Order Signing Ceremony he says of negotiations: “It could happen—I mean, if it happens—and it might not happen, you know? Who knows? But if it happens, it could happen, like, over the weekend.”
• 5th: Speaks with reporters before boarding Air Force One, and says that “we’re having great success with Iran. We—they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon, and they’re in no position to have a nuclear weapon.”
• 7th: In a sit-down with NBC’s Kristen Welker, he claims: “I think we’re very close. We have a couple of points. They don’t even seem like big points. They’ve conceded the fact that they will not have nuclear weapons.”
• 8th: Participates by telephone in a campaign rally for Lindsey Graham and Pamela Evette. “We’re in Iran, and we’ve decimated their military. We’ve decimated their—everything there is to decimate, including their leadership. And if you take a look at it, it really is peace through strength. We’ve hit their navy. Their navy is totally gone. They had 159 ships. Every ship is underwater right now. Every ship is deep underwater. Their air force is gone, their radar is gone, their anti-aircraft is gone, and frankly, their leadership is gone at the highest level. And then they replaced them, and they’re gone, and then about half of their third tier is gone.” and “It will be a total victory. It will happen very soon, and oil prices will come tumbling down.”
• 10th: In a Truth Social post, Trump declares that “Iran’s Military is a complete and total mess. Much of it, like their Navy and Air Force, doesn’t even exist anymore—They have been completely defeated.”
• 11th: During a proclamation signing for the opening of commercial fishing in the Pacific Ocean, he says, “We just made a great settlement of the war with Iran, and we’re going to be subject to finalization of documents, which should get done over the next few days. We’ll probably have a signing, maybe in Europe, and it’s a great thing.”
• 13th: Posts on Truth Social claiming that “the Deal is scheduled to get signed tomorrow, and immediately after it is signed, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN TO ALL.”
• 14th: Claims that a deal has been signed in a Truth Social post: “The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all!”
• 15th: Upon arriving in France for the G7 summit, Trump tells reporters, “The deal’s all signed. And the strait is already partially opened, as you ​know. On Friday, it’ll be completely open.”
• 18th: Posts on Truth Social: “All there is for the U.S. is Success, Lower Oil Prices, and Victory.” He later posted, “The United States is committed to PEACE, and we encourage everyone in the Middle East Region to maintain their commitment to allowing our negotiations to beautifully unfold…We expect a complete Ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon, Hezbollah, and Israel.”
• 19th: While greeting United States service members at Joint Base Andrews, Trump says, “We have the greatest military anywhere in the world, and you saw that in Iran, where in one week, virtually, we knocked out their entire navy, their entire air force, their anti-missile weapons, their radar. We knocked out everything.”
• 19th: Sits down with Axios White House correspondent Marc Caputo and says: “Well, it really probably is unconditional surrender.” Asked by Caputo if it really is a full surrender, Trump responds: “I think so. Look, they have no military. They’re all at the bottom of the sea. 159 ships. That’s what they had.”
• 20th: Posts on Truth Social: “Radical Left fools and Dumocrats realize how well we have done in our War against Iran, with their Country being completely defeated militarily.”
• 22nd: During an executive order signing, he tells reporters, “You know, their navy is gone. Their air force is gone. Their leaders are all dead. Their whole country is a mess. Their economy is shot…Their radar is gone. Everything is gone. Their leaders are gone. Their whole country is gone.”
• 23rd: Truth Social post claiming “Iran has fully and completely agreed to highest level Nuclear inspections long into the future (Infinity!!!).”

JULY 2026

• 1st: In a speech at the Teddy Roosevelt Library ceremony, Trump says, “I’m prosecuting a war, which we’re winning very easily, by the way.”
• 2nd: In a sit-down interview with CNBC’s Joe Kernen, he says: “And what have I done? I’ve defeated them militarily. They’re totally defeated militarily.”
• 6th: Address during Rose Garden lunch: “The relationship is very, very good, and we’re doing very well with Iran. We wiped out their navy, their air force, their radar, their leaders. We wiped out everybody, and then I heard they’re doing very well. No, they’re not doing well at all.”
• 13th: Greg Kelly interviews Trump on the telephone on Newsmax. Trump claims: “Their power’s been largely taken away. Now they have some left, but it’s mostly as an example. Their military: they had 159 ships. 159 ships are under the sea. They had 200 airplanes. Their airplanes are all gone. Their radar is gone. Their anti-aircraft is gone. Their weapon-making capability is largely gone.”
• 20th: Trump hosts the president of Lebanon and answers questions in the Oval Office: “They want to meet desperately to try and end it, because they’re getting decimated.” He later says, “We are doing very well. We are degrading them at levels that nobody thought was possible. They’re being degraded really so seriously.”
• 22nd: Trump delivers a speech in Marietta, Georgia, saying: “Let me tell you, they’re getting hit so hard, and they want to make a deal.”
• 24th: Speaking at the White House Correspondents dinner, he says it’s “all going extremely well. Don’t believe the fake news. You know, it’s the only thing I’ve ever- we were talking before; I said, ‘So we’ve hit Iran very hard. There are, navy is gone, air Force is gone, 250 jets no longer. 159 boats. Good boats.’”
• 27th: Trump visits General Motors’ Milford Proving Ground in Michigan and gives a speech, saying, “We’re winning big time with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we’re ensuring that they never have a nuclear weapon.”
• 31st: Trump Camp David Cabinet meeting speech, in which he says, “Iran is doing very poorly. Just in case you read incorrect stories, they’re doing very, very poorly. They’re having a hard time. They’ve been very dishonest. They’ve been very dishonorable to deal with, but that makes no difference. They’re doing very, very poorly.”

AUGUST 2026