U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press aboard the new Air Force One on July 8, 2026.
Win McNamee | Getty Images
US President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday night that he did not know whether the United States and Iran would return to full-scale war, but said Iran “really” wants a deal to halt escalating hostilities in the Middle East.
President Trump returned to Washington, D.C., via the United Kingdom on Wednesday. The president told reporters aboard Air Force One as he departed Britain’s Air Force Mildenhall that the U.S. military had “just hit[Iran]very hard.”
“We say we beat them 20 to 1. Every time they beat us, we’re going to beat them 20, and we did that last night,” he said. “They did a little bit today, but it was just retaliation for last night…When they attacked, we fought back harder.”
Asked if the U.S. and Iran would return to full-scale military conflict, Trump said, “I don’t know,” adding that if the war resumed, the U.S. would “win very quickly.”
“We have many ways to win, but militarily we have already won,” he said. “They have very little money left. They want to sign a contract very badly. I got a call a while ago. They want to sign a contract very much. I don’t know if it’s worth it for them to sign a contract. I don’t know if they’ll keep their contract. That’s the question.”
CNBC has reached out to the Iranian government for a response to President Trump’s comments.
This is a developing story. Please refresh to check for updates.
