Trump Rules Out Ceasefire With Iran, Says US Is 'Obliterating' the Enemy
Trump rejected a ceasefire with Iran, citing US military advantage, as additional Marines deploy to the Middle East and tensions rise amid disrupted oil flows.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - US President Donald Trump ruled out any ceasefire with Iran on Thursday, declaring the United States was prevailing in the ongoing conflict, as reports of additional Marine deployments pointed to a potential escalation on the ground.
Speaking to journalists at the White House alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump dismissed the idea of halting hostilities, asserting that Washington held the advantage in the three-week-old war.
“I think we have won,” Trump said. “I don't want to do a ceasefire. You know you don't do a ceasefire when you're literally obliterating the other side.”
The remarks came as tensions intensified following Iran’s effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route through which a significant portion of global oil supplies pass, contributing to a sharp rise in oil prices.
Trump declined to confirm reports that the United States was considering targeting or blockading Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil hub, stating: “I may have a plan or I may not. It’s certainly a place that people are talking about but I can't tell you.”
Earlier, the White House indicated that the United States could strike the site “at any time” if ordered. US forces carried out strikes on Kharg Island on the same day, with Trump claiming that all military targets there had been “totally obliterated,” while avoiding damage to oil infrastructure.
Meanwhile, US military movements signaled possible further escalation. Reports indicated that between 2,200 and 2,500 Marines from the USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit were being deployed to the region. The Marine Corps described the forces as “deployed at sea,” while the US 3rd Fleet stated they were conducting “routine operations.”
This follows earlier reports of an additional deployment of approximately 2,500 Marines aboard multiple ships to the Middle East.
Trump also sharply criticized NATO allies, accusing them of failing to support US efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
“So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!” he wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding: “Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER!”
Despite mounting economic concerns linked to surging oil prices, Trump maintained that the joint US-Israeli military operation was progressing successfully, describing it as “not even a contest.”
He reiterated a willingness to engage diplomatically but suggested the absence of viable counterparts, stating: “We want to talk to them, and there's nobody to talk to,” referencing the killing of Iran’s former supreme leader and other senior officials.
As military deployments increase and diplomatic avenues remain closed, Washington’s stance signals a continued trajectory of escalation in a conflict already reshaping regional stability and global energy markets.