US President Donald Trump said Thursday that he may use military force against Iran "right now" if US allies and ships are threatened. Asked during an interview with the Salem News Channel whether he would hesitate to use force to stop Iran from "terrorizing our allies and our ships," he answered: "No hesitation. We’re doing very well with it right now." "But the answer is, if I saw things going the other way, I would do that, and it’s possible I would do it right now," he added.
Trump claimed the US has suffered no losses in recent months. "We haven’t lost a soldier in five months, and we control the Gulf," he said, adding: "Totally control it." Asked whether he was willing to maintain the US blockade even if it took 26 months to collapse the Iranian regime, he said: "Well, the regime is collapsing, and their press is much different than the facts." "They have 301% inflation. Their economy is gone. They’re not paying their soldiers.
Their military is wiped out. Their navy’s gone. Their air force is gone," he said. He accused Iranian officials of speaking "with great bravado" about their position and warned that “if something doesn’t work out, I would not hesitate.”
Anadolu reports Trump's interview remarks threatening force against Iran and keeps them attributed to him throughout, including his claims about US losses and Iran's economy and military. Iranian officials appear only as the target of Trump's accusations, with no Iranian voice in the piece, though other coverage carried an Iranian official's warning about US strikes. This gap does not change what a reader understands about the event.
One side gets the space
Minor
“He accused Iranian officials of speaking "with great bravado" about their position”
Why this matters
The article closes on Trump's accusation against Iranian officials. Iran appears in the piece only as the subject of Trump's claims.
The impression it gives
A reader hears only Trump's account of Iran's economy, military and stance, with no Iranian response set against it.
The context
The article quotes no Iranian official at all. The same day's coverage reports an Iranian security official, Mohsen Rezaei, warning of strikes on US bases if the US launched new strikes. That shows Iranian statements on the confrontation were available.