Courtney Subramanian

NEW—In a phone interview, President Trump told me the war could be over soon: “I think the war is very complete, pretty much. They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no Air Force.” He added that the U.S. is “very far” ahead of his initial 4-5 week estimated time frame.

I spoke with President Trump briefly this morning, BEFORE the announcement about US casualties - so he did not comment on that. But some notes: He says the US knows how many targets are left -- and re: progress toward Iranian people taking control of their destiny: “It’s moving along. It's moving along rapidly. This has been this way for 47 years," he said. "It's moving along rapidly. Nobody can believe the success we're having, 48 leaders are gone in one shot. And it's moving along rapidly.” On concern about oil prices / impacts to Strait of Hormuz: POTUS: “I'm not concerned about anything, Jacqui. I just do what's right. At the end, it works out.” * he cited good outcomes from Venezuela, operations, attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities with B2 bombers: POTUS: “If we didn't do that, they would have had a nuclear weapon within two weeks. And then all of this would not have been possible.”

I am dismayed. Active and serious negotiations have yet again been undermined. Neither the interests of the United States nor the cause of global peace are well served by this. And I pray for the innocents who will suffer. I urge the United States not to get sucked in further. This is not your war.