President Donald Trump has pledged not to put American boots on the ground as the Iran war spiraled with strikes on oil and gas facilities across the region.
Reuters had reported Wednesday that the Trump administration was considering sending thousands more US troops to the Middle East as the US and Israel continue to target Iranian sites.
Additionally, the Pentagon requested $200billion from Congress to fund the war effort.
But when asked about troops on Thursday in the Oval Office while the President was meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Trump responded sharply: ‘No, I’m not putting troops anywhere.’
‘If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you,’ he told the reporter.
‘But I’m not putting troops and we will do whatever is necessary to keep the price low,’ the President added.
Thirteen US troops have been killed in the war, while more than 140 have been wounded.
Americans are also feeling pain at the pump with gas prices soaring to a national average of $3.90 per gallon, compared to $2.90 before the US and Israel launched the war against Iran on February 28.
President Donald Trump (right) speaks alongside Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (left) from the Oval Office on Thursday. Trump said that he wouldn’t be sending US troops to the Middle East in a catty response to a reporter
President Donald Trump (right) attended a dignified transfer Wednesday for more US troops who have been killed since the President ordered strikes on Iran on February 28
Trump traveled to Dover Air Force Base for a dignified transfer on Wednesday – the second time he made the solemn trip there this month.
Recent polling shows that Americans don’t have an appetite for US boots on the ground in Iran, especially after Trump criticized the ‘forever’ wars of Iraq and Afghanistan during his 2024 presidential bid.
March polling from the Daily Mail and JL Partners found that 50 percent of voters were against deploying troops.
Twenty-five percent were for troop deployment, though only 12 percent strongly supported the idea.
A CNN poll conducted in early March showed similar numbers, with 60 percent of respondents against the President sending ground troops.
Just 12 percent were for the move.
Trump’s meeting with Takaichi was heavily focused on the Iran war, as the President has asked allies to help with patrolling the Strait of Hormuz – through which a fifth of the world’s oil flows.
Japan is one of the nations most critically exposed to Iran’s strangling of the Strait, with 95 percent of all its crude oil coming from the Middle East in 2024.
Vice President JD Vance (right) speaks to servicemembers based at Kentucky’s Fort Campbell in November
The Japanese PM, a political ally of the President’s, complimented him despite saying that the world was in a ‘very severe security environment.’
‘But even against the backdrop, I firmly believe that it is only you, Donald, who can achieve peace across the world,’ Takaichi said.
Later in the meeting, Trump responded with an eye-popping comment when asked why he didn’t reveal to allies his Iran war plans.
‘You don’t want to signal too much … we wanted surprise,’ Trump answered.
‘Who knows better about surprise than Japan?’ he said. ‘Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor!’
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