What did Trump say about the Iran war?

What Trump said about the Iran war

In a June 2026 interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” with moderator Kristen Welker, President Donald Trump addressed how the U.S. could end its conflict with Iran and what conditions he links to relief steps.

Trump framed the war as something the U.S. could exit “one way or the other,” while also denying that he promised “no new wars.” He argued the broader conflict is not an “endless war,” while positioning a diplomatic track as possible—so long as it results in an outcome he describes as acceptable.

A central theme was financial leverage. Trump said the U.S. would unfreeze Iranian assets only after the two sides reach a peace deal, tying any economic concessions to a final agreement rather than interim steps.

He also discussed an “anti-weaponization” compensation fund floated in the context of the post-Jan. 6 political landscape. In separate “Meet the Press” coverage, he said he would pay applicants “the kind of money they deserve,” and indicated he did not rule out using government funding mechanisms that could benefit people convicted for assaulting police during the Jan. 6 attack.

The political significance is that Trump is trying to define both the endgame for Iran and the domestic policy fallout from his administration’s use of compensation and enforcement tools. By stressing deal-based asset relief and pushing back on claims about promising unlimited conflict, he is setting the terms for how supporters and critics may judge his strategy. Meanwhile, the interview became a focal point for broader debate about the president’s relationship with media fact-checking during the same program.