President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as White House Special Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff, center, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth listen while aboard Air Force One en route from Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, to Miami, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)US President Donald Trump has refused to rule out deploying US ground troops to Iran, saying the option remains open as the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran continues.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said he might consider sending troops at a later stage, including to secure enriched uranium believed to be stored at Iranian nuclear sites.
“We haven’t talked about it,” Trump said, according to The Guardian. “At some point maybe we will. That would be a great thing. Right now we’re just decimating them.”
Trump has also demanded what he described as an “unconditional surrender” from Iran’s leaders.
When asked what he meant, he said he meant Iran giving up the fight.
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“I said unconditional. It’s when they cry uncle or when they can’t fight anymore and there’s no one around to cry uncle,” he said.
At the same time, Trump ruled out asking Kurdish forces in Iraq to launch an invasion of Iran, saying the move would complicate the situation.
“I don’t want the Kurds to come in,” he said. “They are willing to go in, but I have told them that I don’t want them to go in. The war is already complicated enough without involving the Kurds.”
The president of the United States made the remarks hours after attending a ceremony at Dover Air Force Base in memory of American service members killed in the early days of the conflict. Trump said their deaths had not changed his position on continuing the war.
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“No, we are winning the war by a lot,” he said. “I’m sure it will continue for a while, but I’m very proud of the people.”
The war expanded after the United States joined Israeli airstrikes against Iran about a week ago. Trump said he did not know how long the fighting would last.
“Whatever it takes,” he said when asked about the duration of the conflict.
