Most Americans expect Trump to send boots on the ground in Iran — but majority oppose it: Poll
Nearly two-thirds of Americans think that President Donald Trump will send U.S. ground troops into the fighting against Iran, a new national poll indicates.
A Reuters/Ipsos survey, conducted Tuesday through Thursday (March 17–19), also indicates that a majority of Americans, 55%, say they don’t support sending ground troops into the operation against Iran.
The poll’s release comes as the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran are about to close out their third week.
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Only 7% of those questioned in the survey said they’d support a large-scale strike by American ground forces, with 34% saying they’d back a more limited-in-scope incursion by U.S. special forces.
Fourteen percent of Republicans surveyed said they’d support a large ground force operation, with 63% saying they’d back inserting special forces into a ground action. Twenty-one percent of Republicans gave a thumbs-down to sending in American ground troops.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, at a Pentagon briefing earlier this month, declined to rule out the use of U.S. ground forces.
Trump said on Thursday that he was “not putting troops anywhere,” when asked by a reporter about his war plans.
“If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you,” the president added.
The military attacks by the U.S. and Israel have resulted in the deaths of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top officials, and the decimation of the country’s military.
But Iran has retaliated with attacks against Israel and many of its other neighbors in the volatile Middle East.
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Iran has targeted energy facilities with missile and drone attacks in a number of Persian Gulf nations. It has also made the Strait of Hormuz nearly impassable to commercial shipping, bringing to a halt roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply and in turn sending fuel prices skyrocketing in the U.S. and across the globe.
Most national polls conducted since the launch of the strikes at the end of February indicate opposition to the attacks outweighing support, and the Reuters/Ipsos survey is no exception.
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According to the poll, which questioned 1,545 adults nationwide, 37% of Americans approved of the fighting with Iran, with 59% disapproving.
But there’s a wide partisan divide, with 77% of Republicans but just 6% of Democrats and 28% of independents supporting the operation.
Pence backs Trump’s Iran strikes, says president ‘ignored’ GOP isolationists
EXCLUSIVE — As he praises President Donald Trump for “taking the fight directly” to Iran, former Vice President Mike also argues that the attacks show that the president isn’t listening to the isolationist wing of the Republican Party.
“It’s one of the things I give President Trump great credit for,” Pence said this week in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.
Pence’s comments come nearly three weeks into the military strikes against Iran, as some loud populist and anti-war voices in the MAGA and America First orbits have heavily criticized the military operation.
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The former vice president, who has long been a proponent of strong American deterrence around the world, highlighted that “around this administration, and to some extent in this administration, there have been some increasingly loud voices calling for America to pull back from our role as leader of the free world. Isolationist voices have taken hold in some quarters of the Republican Party.”
“But fortunately, President Trump turned a deaf ear to those voices last year when he struck Iran, and this year, when he launched Operation Epic Fury,” Pence emphasized. “I think it’s greatly to his credit.”
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Pence argued that it’s “reflective of where the overwhelming majority of Republicans are. Republicans understand that America is the arsenal of democracy, that we’re the leader of the free world, that we have obligations to lead.”
And pointing to his former boss during Trump’s first administration, Pence said, “I’ve told people many times, I’m proud of President Trump for making the decision to launch operation Epic Fury. But I’m not surprised, because the President I serve with is no isolationist.”
The military attacks by the U.S. and Israel have resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top officials, and the decimation of the country’s military.
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But Iran has retaliated with attacks against Israel and many of its other neighbors in the volatile Middle East.
Iran has also targeted energy facilities with missile and drone attacks in a number of Persian Gulf nations. It has also made the Strait of Hormuz nearly impassable to commercial shipping, bringing to a halt roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply, which has sent fuel prices skyrocketing in the U.S. and across the globe.
But Pence emphasized that he “couldn’t be more proud of President Donald Trump for making the decision to send our troops directly against an enemy that has literally claimed thousands of American lives, including nearly 1,000 service members.”
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The former vice president said Trump has “unleashed the armed forces of the United States to take the fight directly to the source of global terrorism. And I think at the end of the day, the American people understand that this is a fight that we have to win, and it’s going to be important that we finish the threat that Iran has posed to the American people, to our cherished ally, Israel, to nations across the region and across the West, once and for all.”
And Pence said that if he were advising Trump, he would urge the president “to finish the threat that the mullahs and Tehran have posed to the people of this country once and for all.”
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Iran’s new supreme leader linked to properties with ‘line of sight’ into Israeli UK Embassy
Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been linked to two luxury apartments overlooking the Israeli Embassy in London, a location that security experts said could provide “permanent surveillance,” according to multiple reports.
The multimillion-dollar Kensington properties sit next to the high-profile embassy compound and were identified by UK media, drawing on findings from a yearlong probe into Khamenei’s potential overseas assets.
The Times of London reported on March 5 that the one building “sits next to the Israeli Embassy on Palace Green,” placing the residences in exceptional proximity to one of Israel’s most sensitive diplomatic sites.
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The revelations stem from a Bloomberg investigation that alleged that the Khamenei portfolio could span multiple countries and include high-value real estate in London, totaling around $138M as well as assets in Europe and the Gulf.
The two London apartments were reportedly acquired in 2014 and 2016 via intermediaries and occupy upper floors of the building, offering a direct vantage point toward the rear of the Israeli embassy compound, UK media reported.
A terrorism specialist quoted in reports said the positioning effectively means “Iran owns the view into the back of the Israeli Embassy from less than 50 meters away,” describing the situation as a potential “serious security breach.”
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Roger Macmillan, a former director of security at the Iranian dissident satellite channel Iran International, also said the two apartments had “a direct line of sight, held through Mojtaba Khamenei. That’s not a property portfolio — it’s a permanent surveillance platform.”
“This is a serious security breach,” he added.
Further details from Bloomberg’s investigation indicated that a businessman acted as a financial conduit, buying up high-end properties on Khamenei’s behalf and channeling funds through a network of investments.
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The investigation also found that 11 mansions on London’s “Billionaire’s Row” were purchased using an Isle of Man shell company.
The Financial Times has also similarly reported on links between Khamenei’s associates and luxury assets across Europe.
Khamenei, 56, has been viewed as a powerful figure within Iran’s ruling establishment, ultimately becoming the leading successor to his father, who was killed in a Tehran compound strike on Feb. 28.
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So far, since he was selected by Iran’s Assembly of Experts, he has not been seen in public.
Iranian women’s soccer team returns home after declining asylum in Australia: report
Earlier this month, Australia granted asylum to five members of the Iranian women’s soccer team who were visiting the country for a tournament when the U.S. and Israel launched a joint military campaign against the country.
The remaining members of the team faced uncertainty.
After the team was knocked out of the Women’s Asian Cup, most of the players who initially sought asylum later changed their minds.
On Wednesday, all but two ultimately returned to Iran after declining asylum offers in Australia, according to unconfirmed Iranian state media reports.
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Video circulating on social media showed the soccer players entering Iran after a flight landed in Turkey. Those same athletes were previously seen traveling through the country by bus shortly after the flight returned to Iran. Multiple officials were reportedly present at the border when the soccer team arrived.
Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh were the two members of the Iranian national team who reportedly elected to stay behind in Australia. Both have been training with the Brisbane Roar club.
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Iran’s squad arrived in Australia for the tournament shortly before the war began Feb. 28. The team initially gained global attention after some players stayed silent during Iran’s national anthem before their first game.
When the team was knocked out of the tournament and faced the prospect of returning to a country under bombardment, calls grew for Australia’s government to offer the women asylum. Iranian groups in Australia and President Donald Trump were among those who expressed fears for the women’s safety.
Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref last week dismissed suggestions the women would be unsafe if they returned home, saying the country “welcomes its children with open arms and the government guarantees their security.”
Trump also commented on the Iranian men’s team’s World Cup participation, suggesting last week that while the squad is “welcome” to compete in the U.S. after qualifying, it might not be “appropriate.”
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“The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety,” Trump wrote in a post to Truth Social post March 12.
Iran’s men’s team is slated to play in Inglewood, California, against New Zealand June 15. It is also scheduled to face Belgium June 21 before finishing group play against Egypt in Seattle June 26. The U.S. is hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
Iran arrests 97 people it accuses of being ‘soldiers of Israel’ in massive crackdown
Iran’s intelligence ministry has arrested 97 people accused of being “soldiers of Israel,” according to state media reports Thursday.
The arrests are part of the country’s latest security sweep, which has seen hundreds detained over alleged links to Israel and the United States since the start of the war, Reuters said.
Earlier Thursday, state media also cited the police commander of Alborz province as saying 41 people had been arrested for sending videos to opposition media channels based abroad.
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On March 10, Iran’s intelligence ministry also reported it had arrested a foreign national, along with 30 other people it described as spies, internal mercenaries and operational agents of Israel and the U.S., according to Reuters.
The latest wave of arrests came in the wake of the assassination of Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmaeil Khatib, in a targeted Israeli strike in Tehran.
Khatib’s death was confirmed March 18 by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz 10 days after the start of Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion, both targeting the Iranian regime.
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Under Khatib, the intelligence ministry’s role broadened significantly, and it now operates extensive informant networks across universities, media organizations, minority communities and activist circles across the country.
Its agents identify protest organizers, monitor communications and conduct interrogations, according to The Jerusalem Post.
On March 12, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) also said Iranian authorities had arrested nearly 200 people on charges related to the U.S.-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic.
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The charges include alleged activity on social media, sending content to foreign media outlets, espionage and disturbing public order, HRANA said before adding that its count was based on official reports.
Trump rates Macron ‘an 8’ as France and US split over Middle East strategy
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called for an immediate de-escalation in the Middle East, urging a halt to U.S.–Israeli strikes on critical infrastructure as fighting intensifies across the region.
“France calls for the immediate implementation of a moratorium on strikes targeting civilian infrastructure, whether related to water or to energy,” Macron wrote on X, reinforcing France’s push for diplomacy even as the United States and Israel emphasize military pressure against Iran and its proxies. “Freedom and security of navigation must be restored.”
President Donald Trump recently struck a mixed tone on France’s role, saying he had spoken with Macron and was cautiously optimistic Paris ultimately would help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route for oil and energy supplies.
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On “a scale of 0 to 10,” Trump said Macron had been “an eight.”
“Not perfect, but it’s France,” he said at a press briefing in the White House Monday.
Trump went on to say he believes Macron “is going to help” regarding securing the Strait of Hormuz, but added, “I don’t do a hard sell on them, because my attitude is we don’t need anybody. We’re the strongest nation in the world.”
“I’m almost doing it . . . because I want to find out how they react,” Trump said, suggesting the U.S. is also testing its allies.
In a future crisis, he warned, “I’ve been saying for years that if we ever did need them, they won’t be there. Not all of them, but they won’t be there.”
The divide reflects a broader question shaping the conflict: whether diplomacy can contain Iran’s regional network, or whether force is required to dismantle it.
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That tension is playing out most clearly over the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman that serves as one of the world’s most critical energy choke points, with roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies passing through it each day.
In recent weeks, Iran has disrupted traffic through the strait with drone, missile and naval threats, raising fears of a broader economic shock as commercial shipping slows and global energy markets face increasing uncertainty.
Macron said France “will never take part in operations to open or free” the critical waterway “in the current context,” emphasizing that France is “not a party to the conflict.”
Paris instead has proposed escorting commercial vessels only after hostilities subside, in coordination with regional actors.
At the same time, European allies — including France — signaled they are not entirely stepping back from efforts to secure the strategic waterway.
Leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan expressed in a joint statement released Thursday a “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts” to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, while calling on Iran to “cease immediately its threats” against commercial shipping.
A European diplomat told Fox News that the United Kingdom is leading a diplomatic effort to build support among European and Gulf partners for a coordinated response, with discussions underway on how such a mission could be structured.
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However, European officials remain divided over timing, with concerns that launching such an effort during active hostilities could introduce new high-value targets into the conflict, according to the diplomat.
France pushes diplomacy across Iran-linked fronts
Lebanon has emerged as a second front in the war after Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, began attacking Israel following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February.
The group launched rockets and drones from southern Lebanon, prompting Israeli retaliatory strikes and escalating the conflict into a broader regional confrontation tied directly to Tehran, Iran, and its proxy network.
While distancing itself from direct military involvement, France is intensifying its diplomatic push in Lebanon, urging direct negotiations between Israel and Beirut following signals from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun that he is open to talks.
French officials view this as a “window of opportunity” to stabilize the border and prevent further escalation, arguing that both sides share an interest in preventing Lebanon from becoming a launchpad for attacks against Israel.
But Israeli officials have sharply pushed back, arguing that diplomacy cannot succeed while Hezbollah remains armed and active.
The Israel Defense Forces said Thursday that since Hezbollah joined the fighting following strikes on Iranian regime, the group has launched hundreds of rockets, missiles and drones toward Israel.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel has come under sustained attack from Lebanese territory in recent weeks.
“Since March 2nd, Israel has been attacked from Lebanese territory more than 2,000 times with missiles and drones,” he wrote on X Tuesday.
Sa’ar warned that the crisis extends beyond the region, calling disruptions to maritime routes “naval terrorism that harms the global economy.”
While expressing openness to normalization with Lebanon, Sa’ar made clear, “The obstacle to this is Hezbollah,” adding that Beirut must take “meaningful action” against the group’s weapons, funding and leadership.
Analysts say that gap — between France’s diplomatic push and Israel’s security demands — reflects a deeper structural problem that has persisted for years.
France has “potential influence that they never use … essentially the stick,” David Schenker, a former U.S. assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern Affairs who oversaw Lebanon policy during the first Trump administration and now directs the Program on Arab Politics at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told Fox News Digital.
He argued that Paris has failed to use its leverage to pressure Hezbollah or its backers.
While Schenker said direct negotiations between the Lebanese government and Israel could be useful, he questioned whether they would change realities on the ground.
“I don’t see how a ceasefire in and of itself changes the status quo,” he said.
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Lebanese leaders repeatedly have pledged to assert a state monopoly over weapons, but “they haven’t really done much,” Schenker said, adding there is “zero confidence” they would move forward given Hezbollah’s opposition.
Even the Lebanese army has signaled its limits, prioritizing “national unity and the safety of the army above disarmament,” he said.
On the ground, the situation continues to deteriorate rapidly.
Violence in Lebanon has surged dramatically since the war in Iran began.
“There has been a 400% increase in violence events in Lebanon,” said Bassel Doueik, a researcher at the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), adding that Israeli strikes and Hezbollah clashes have displaced at least 1 million people.
Doueik said Israel appears to be seeking to create a buffer zone south of the Litani River in Lebanon, warning the escalation could lead to “another occupation of southern Lebanon similar to 1982.”
At the same time, Hezbollah — long backed by Iran — continues to operate as a powerful armed force inside Lebanon, complicating efforts to reach any durable political settlement.
France has played a leading diplomatic role in Lebanon for years, including backing the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). But the mission has faced growing challenges, including restrictions on movement and attacks on its personnel, raising criticism about its effectiveness.
Critics argue that repeated diplomatic initiatives have failed to curb Hezbollah’s military buildup, leaving Israel increasingly skeptical of new proposals.
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“The French are specializing in carrots,” Schenker said, arguing that Paris has been reluctant to use pressure despite its influence in Lebanon.
But he added that the transatlantic divide is not entirely one-sided.
“This is a war that was launched by Israel and the United States, and they disagreed with it,” he said, noting that protecting global energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz should be “an international responsibility.”
Trump quips about Pearl Harbor when asked if Japan given advanced notice on Iran attacks: ‘Wanted surprise’
President Donald Trump made a quip about Pearl Harbor Thursday when asked if Japan and other American allies were given advance notice about attacking Iran, saying the U.S. “wanted surprise.”
Trump made the comment while sitting across from Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi during a bilateral meeting at the White House.
“Japan and the U.S. are very good friends, but one question, why didn’t you tell U.S. allies in Europe and Asia, like Japan, about the war before attacking Iran? So we are very confused about, we Japanese citizens,” a reporter asked Trump.
“Well, one thing, you don’t want to signal too much,” the president responded. “You know, when we go in, we went in very hard, and we didn’t tell anybody about it because we wanted surprise. Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Okay? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor? Okay? Right?”
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“You know, he’s asking me, ‘Do you believe in surprise?’ I think much more so than us. And we had to surprise them. And we did,” Trump continued. “And because of that surprise, we knocked out the first two days, we probably knocked out 50% of what we — and much more than we anticipated doing. So, if I go and tell everybody about it, there’s no longer a surprise, right?”
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Earlier in the meeting, Trump told reporters, “We’re doing this excursion. And when it’s completed, we’re going to have a much safer world. And the Prime Minister agrees with me on this.
“Iran is a serious threat to the world, to the Middle East and to the world. And everybody agrees with me,” Trump said. “I think virtually every country agrees with me on that. So I wanted to put out that fire.”
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Operation Epic Fury was launched by the U.S. on Feb. 28, and as of Thursday, is on day 20.
Neither the US nor Israel will ‘succeed in replacing the Iranian regime,’ retired US general says
A retired U.S. general predicted that “neither Israel nor the U.S. will fully succeed in replacing the Iranian regime.”
Former Lt. Gen. Mark Schwartz was quoted by the Israel Hayom newspaper as making the remark. The joint U.S. and Israeli missions against Iran, named Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion, are in their 20th day Thursday.
“In my professional assessment, neither Israel nor the U.S. will fully succeed in replacing the Iranian regime. The main reason is that there are dozens, if not hundreds, of Iranian religious leaders who can replace the Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah, if he is eliminated,” Schwartz told Israel Hayom.
“No matter how many successors you kill one after another, there will always be another one in line. Iran’s intelligence and security apparatus, the Revolutionary Guards, and the Iranian military also have depth. They are capable of replacing the top of the organization if it is destroyed,” he reportedly added.
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Schwartz is a career Green Beret who served in the U.S. Army for 33 years, according to The National Special Forces Green Beret Memorial, where he is the chairman of the advisory board.
The organization said, “During his career, Mark served throughout the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa,” and, “He has had the opportunity to lead strategic planning and operations working with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the United Nations, the European Union, and the United States Agency for International Development.”
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Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard had warned Wednesday that if the Iranian regime survives Operation Epic Fury, “it will likely seek to begin a yearslong effort to rebuild its military, missiles and UAV forces.”
Gabbard also said the intelligence community “assesses that Operation Epic Fury is advancing fundamental change in the region that began with Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7th, 2023, and continued with the 12-day war last year, resulting in weakening Iran and its proxies.”
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The campaign so far has resulted in the killing of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has been replaced by his son, Mojtaba Khamenei.
Pentagon targets Iran-linked militias in Iraq as Hegseth vows ‘we will finish this’ for fallen US troops
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said the U.S. military is striking “Iranian-aligned militia groups” in Iraq as Secretary of War Pete Hegseth vowed Thursday to “honor” the sacrifice of six U.S. service members killed in a plane crash there last week.
President Donald Trump, Hegseth and Caine on Wednesday attended the dignified transfer of the six fallen soldiers at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. The Pentagon said last week that the U.S. forces were killed when a KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq during a combat mission in support of Operation Epic Fury.
Caine said Thursday that in Iraq, AH-64 helicopters “have been striking against Iranian-aligned militia groups to make sure that we suppress any threat in Iraq against U.S. forces or U.S. interests.”
“And we remain focused on pursuit of any platform that Iran could field to harm Americans or our partners,” he added.
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Reflecting on the fallen U.S. service members, Hegseth said, “Yesterday at Dover Air Force Base, President Trump, the chairman, and I stood in solemn silence as heroes came home.”
“Flag-draped caskets. We honored them. We grieved with their families, and we listened. What I heard through tears, through hugs, through strength and through unbreakable resolve was the same from family after family. They said, ‘finish this. Honor their sacrifice. Do not waver. Do not stop until the job is done.’ My response, along with that of the president, was simple — of course, we will finish this. We will honor their sacrifice,” Hegseth said.
“Yesterday’s ceremony reminded us why we fight. Not for nation building or democracy promotion, but to crush direct threats to America, Americans, and our interests. We fight to win, and we are winning, on our terms, following our objectives,” he continued.
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“My 13-year-old son popped into my office last night while I was editing these remarks. He asked about the war and the families I met at Dover, and I looked at him and I said, ‘They died for you, son, so that your generation doesn’t have to deal with a nuclear Iran’,” Hegseth also said. “It’s the truth. And they did. So to the families who said, ‘finish this,’ we will. And I say the same to every American who wants peace through strength. May Almighty God continue to bless our troops in this fight. And again to the American people, please pray for them, every day, on bended knee, with your family, in your schools, in your churches, in the name of Jesus Christ. To the troops, keep going and Godspeed.”
Those killed were Maj. John “Alex” Klinner, 33; Maj. Ariana Savino, 31; Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt, 34; Capt. Seth Koval, 38; Capt. Curtis Angst, 30; and Master. Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28.
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Caine said at the Pentagon Thursday that, “Our nation will never forget their sacrifice, and we will never forget their names,” and, “Our entire joint force mourns with you today.”