Trump Says Ground Troops Possible in Iran, War Could Extend Beyond 5 Weeks

President Donald Trump said he could deploy ground troops to Iran if deemed necessary, adding that the war could last longer than the previously projected four to five weeks.

"I'm not afraid of putting boots on the ground," Trump said in an interview with the New York Post on Thursday. "If necessary, we can deploy them."

When asked about a Reuters/Ipsos poll showing 43% of Americans oppose the Iran strikes, Trump dismissed the concerns. "I have to do what's right," he said. "I don't think support is low, and it's not an important issue anyway. We cannot allow a country run by crazy people like Iran to possess nuclear weapons."

Trump added that he believes "people are deeply impressed by America's military action" and that "a real survey would find a so-called 'silent majority' supporting this."

In his first public remarks since the war began, delivered at a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House, Trump said the conflict could extend beyond initial estimates.

"We expected the Iran war to take four to five weeks, but we have the capability to sustain it longer than that," Trump said. "It doesn't matter how long it takes. We have the most powerful and overwhelming military in the world and will win easily."

Trump claimed operations are running "considerably ahead of schedule," noting that eliminating military leadership "was expected to take four weeks but was completed in about an hour."

The president also said the U.S. has "sunk 10 Iranian vessels to the bottom of the sea" and is "destroying Iran's capability to produce fairly advanced new missiles."