Trump Highlights Iran Conflict During Inter Miami White House Visit
President Donald Trump welcomed Lionel Messi and Inter Miami to the White House on Thursday, March 5, 2026, to celebrate their 2025 MLS Cup victory. However, the celebratory event was largely overshadowed by a lengthy discourse from the President regarding the ongoing conflict with Iran.
A Celebration Interrupted
The Inter Miami squad, including Messi and owner Jorge Mas, were greeted by President Trump in the East Room of the White House. The visit followed a day of political activity for Trump, which included the removal of Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem from her position.1
Trump began by stating, “We like champions, we like winners,” before shifting focus to the military situation, speaking for several minutes even as the Inter Miami team stood behind him.1 He claimed the U.S. Military, alongside Israeli partners, was “totally demolishing the enemy far ahead of schedule.”1
According to Trump, “We are destroying more of Iran’s missiles and drone capability every single hour… We want to fight now more than they do. We’ve had 47 years, depending on the way you count it, 47 years of horror with this group.”1
Escalating Tensions with Iran
President Trump boasted of “totally demolishing” Iranian military forces while Messi and his teammates were present, describing the situation as the US military having sunk or destroyed over 30 Iranian ships in recent days.2 He similarly claimed that US bomber forces had struck nearly 200 targets within Iran in the past 72 hours.2
Trump called on members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, military and police to lay down their weapons, offering immunity to those who did so.2 He also urged Iranian diplomats to seek asylum, suggesting they could help “shape a latest and better Iran.”2
He stated that Iran was previously “looking for the whole Middle East” but that “we came… We ruined their party.”2
Brief Recognition of Inter Miami’s Achievement
Eventually, Trump turned to acknowledging Inter Miami’s visit, mentioning that his son, Barron, had met Messi earlier in the day.1 He compared Messi to Brazilian legend Pelé, prompting a discussion about the greatest soccer players of all time. Inter Miami secured their first MLS Cup title by defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps in December 2025.1
Potential Deal with Cuba Mentioned
During the event, Trump also briefly suggested that a deal with Cuba may be forthcoming, though he indicated his current focus remains on the situation in Iran.3 He hinted at a future announcement regarding Cuba, stating, “We’re going to celebrate that separately.”3