WASHINGTON — President Trump told The Post Monday that he’s not ruling out sending US ground troops into Iran “if they were necessary” — adding that Operation Epic Fury was “way ahead of schedule” after taking out dozens of Tehran’s top officials.
“I don’t have the yips with respect to boots on the ground — like every president says, ‘There will be no boots on the ground.’ I don’t say it,” Trump said after launching strikes Saturday to decapitate Iran’s military and political leadership. “I say ‘probably don’t need them,’ [or] ‘if they were necessary.’”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said at a Monday morning Pentagon press conference that no American troops are currently inside Iran, though he also did not rule out the possibility.
“President Trump ensures our enemies understand we’ll go as far as we need to go to advance American interests. But we’re not dumb about it,” Hegseth told reporteres. “You don’t have to roll 200,000 people in there and stay for 20 years.”
Trump told the Daily Mail on Sunday that he estimated the war would last “four weeks or so,” but hinted to The Post on Monday that the timeframe could be shortened.
🚨 TRUMP ON IRAN: WE PROJECTED 4-5 WEEKS BUT CAN GO LONGER
— *Walter Bloomberg (@DeItaone) March 2, 2026
🚨BREAKING: TRUMP SAYS IRAN WAS “DAYS AWAY” FROM NUCLEAR BOMB
— Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) March 2, 2026
🚨 BREAKING: Trump says the war with Iran could last “four weeks or so,” outlining his expected timeline for the campaign to Daily News.
➤ “It’s always been a four week process. We figured it will be four weeks or so. It’s always been about a four week process so – as strong as… pic.twitter.com/Pumt9JUREY
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) March 1, 2026