When Trump gave a telephone interview with CBS, he considered ending the U.S. military strike operations, which was met with a rebuttal from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard: "When the war ends is decided by us."

On March 9, 2026, Trump's remarks in the CBS interview were very clear: "I think this war has been largely accomplished, more or less like that." He further added that Iran had lost its navy, air force, and communication systems, and the effectiveness of the U.S. strikes exceeded expectations. The military operation, originally expected to last 4 to 5 weeks, was now "progressing much faster."

Later the same day at a White House press conference, when asked whether it meant the military action would soon end, Trump reiterated again: "It will end soon." He even ambiguously handled the previous statement by the Defense Secretary that "the war has just begun," saying, "You can consider both statements correct," and emphasized that the U.S. had destroyed Iran's main military equipment.

This inconsistent and somewhat contradictory statement actually reflects the multiple pressures he is currently facing. On one hand, the military strikes lasting over ten days have caused a highly tense regional situation, soaring international oil prices, renewed inflation expectations domestically, and fluctuating voter sentiment; on the other hand, the Republican Party urgently needs a "visible victory" to stabilize its base ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. Therefore, Trump is eager to send signals that the conflict is about to end, which is not only to calm the market but also to gain political initiative.

As soon as Trump finished speaking, global capital markets reacted immediately. International oil prices dropped sharply, with the U.S. WTI crude oil hitting a low of $81.30 per barrel during the day, falling more than 6% from the previous day's high. The three major U.S. stock indices reversed to close higher in the final minutes, with tech stocks and Chinese stocks leading the way, while the VIX volatility index fell over 13%. The dollar weakened against major currencies, and U.S. Treasury yields also declined.

Facing Trump's hint of a ceasefire, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran issued a statement early on March 10, directly calling his remarks "lies and deception," and emphasizing: "The end of the war will be decided by Iran." The spokesperson also pointed out that as long as the U.S. and Israel continue their aggression, Iran would not allow "a single drop of oil" to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

This response directly challenged Trump's authority. It seems that although Trump wants to withdraw, Iran obviously does not want to easily accept the role of a "defeated party." The Revolutionary Guard's hardline stance indicates that Tehran hopes to reshape the regional order and no longer show weakness to the U.S. as before.

Gao Ge believes that the U.S. clearly hopes to achieve strategic goals while controlling costs, while Iran tries to exhaust the opponent's will through a protracted war and gain more negotiation leverage. This time, Trump apparently cannot control the situation. The leverage gained from the big victory in Venezuela may all be gambled away this time.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1859329901147148/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.