Trump Considers ‘Winding Down’ Iran Campaign Amid Troop Deployments and Economic Concerns

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States is considering “winding down” hostilities in the Middle East as the Pentagon is sending thousands of California-based Marines to the region and has requested billions in recent funding for the war with Iran.

“We are getting particularly close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the Terrorist Regime of Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He listed a number of military aims he claimed were close to being accomplished, including destroying Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities. He said the Strait of Hormuz will “have to be guarded and policed,” but provided no timeline or information detailing the fate of service members recently dispatched to the hostilities.

Troop Deployments and Funding Request

The Pentagon is sending three California-based warships, including the USS Boxer and roughly 2,500 Marines to the Middle East, marking the second significant deployment in a week, according to the Associated Press . The warships departed from Camp Pendleton on Wednesday, initially described as a “routine training” exercise, but defense officials confirmed their final destination is the Middle East, where the U.S. Military has amassed approximately 50,000 troops.

A 2,500-strong Marine unit accompanied by the USS Tripoli warship launched from Japan on Saturday. The Pentagon declined to comment on the deployments, citing “operations security.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed at a news conference Thursday that the Pentagon has requested an additional $200 billion from the White House to fund the war, as the U.S. National debt reached a record $39 trillion . The supplemental spending will require congressional approval. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called the request “unacceptable for a war without a plan,” stating, “No way. That will never happen. It is a preposterous and dangerous risk.”

Congressional Debate Over Authorization

Increased troop presence in the region raises questions about a potential American deployment on Iranian soil. Republican leaders in Congress have remained noncommittal about holding formal votes to authorize such action. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) stated that congressional approval would depend on the mission’s scope, suggesting that a “limited scope” mission wouldn’t require a declaration of war.

Representative Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), a member of the Air Force Reserves, criticized Johnson’s response as “the emasculation of one branch of government in real time.”

Casualties and Economic Impact

As of Friday, 13 U.S. Service members have been killed and 232 have been injured in the Middle East since the start of the conflict, according to U.S. Central Command spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkin .

The conflict’s economic shock waves are being felt globally. Trump is struggling to secure allies for an international coalition aimed at securing vital shipping lanes and deterring further attacks on energy infrastructure around the Persian Gulf. He claimed Iran “is close to demolished,” but securing the Strait of Hormuz remains a challenge. He suggested the U.S. Was working to secure the strait “just to be nice” to other countries reliant on the region’s oil.

Trump criticized other nations, writing on Truth Social, “They complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices. So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!”

International Support and Escalating Attacks

On Friday, the U.K. Agreed to allow the American military forces to utilize British bases in operations “to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz,” ministers said in a written statement .

Iran continued its attacks on Mideast energy facilities, responding to Israeli strikes Wednesday on Iran’s South Pars field — the world’s largest natural gas field. Iranian Shahed drones struck Kuwait’s largest oil refinery Friday, and fires were triggered at Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar, halting energy production at the largest natural gas hub globally. Repairs are expected to take years. The United Arab Emirates’ air defense systems countered Iranian missiles overnight, and Saudi Arabia warned it might respond with force if Iran continues to attack facilities within the kingdom.

Israel reported Friday that it had killed Esmail Ahmadi, a senior intelligence official in Iran’s Basij and deputy to its commander, in an airstrike. Officials described Ahmadi as “one of the most key pillars” of the Basij volunteer paramilitary force .

Despite the escalating attacks, Iran’s armed forces spokesperson Abolfazl Shekarchi warned that American and Israeli officials could be targeted worldwide, stating, “From now on, based on the information we have, even recreational and tourist locations around the world will not be safe for you.”

Economic Repercussions

Oil prices have surged past $100 a barrel amid the chaos. Financial markets have reacted with sustained losses, marking Wall Street’s fourth consecutive week of declines, as investors increasingly price in the risk that higher energy costs could slow economic growth and reignite inflation. The International Monetary Fund cautioned that the conflict could push inflation higher. The Federal Reserve is now facing renewed uncertainty as it weighs whether to hold interest rates higher for longer in response to rising energy costs.

At a White House event Friday, Trump maintained that the United States’ military operation is “going extremely well in Iran.” He claimed, “The difference between them and us is they had a navy two weeks ago and they have no navy anymore. It’s all at the bottom of the sea.” He added, “Fifty-eight ships were knocked down in two days and we have the greatest navy in the world. It is not even close.”

The president did not take questions from reporters, but stated that the United States and Iran are not engaging in talks due to the fact that their leaders “are all gone,” adding to the uncertainty about the war’s exit strategy. “We are having a hard time, we want to talk to them and there is nobody to talk to,” he said. “We have nobody to talk to and you grasp what? We like it that way.”