Trump tells CNN: Big wave yet to come, surprised by Iran attacks on Gulf states
Published: 03:03 PM,Mar 02,2026 | EDITED : 09:03 PM,Mar 02,2026
President Donald Trump has told CNN in a nine-minute phone interview on Monday morning that the “big wave” is yet to come.
Trump told CNN’s Jake Tapper. “I think it’s going very well. It’s very powerful. We’ve got the greatest military in the world, and we’re using it.”
Asked whether the US is doing more beyond the military assault to help the Iranian people regain control of their country from the regime, Trump said, “Yes.”
“We are indeed. But right now we want everyone staying inside. It’s not safe out there.”
And it’s about to get even less safe, the president said.
“We haven’t even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasn’t even happened. The big one is coming soon.”
Trump addressed a range of topics in the interview, including the expected length of the conflict, his surprise at Iran’s widespread retaliation, and the country’s expected succession plan.
So far, the president said, “the biggest surprise” has been Iran’s attacks against Arab countries in the region: Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates
So far, the president said, “the biggest surprise” has been Iran’s attacks against Arab countries in the region: Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates
Trump pointed to the Iranian nuclear threat as having been a major issue in the region for some time.
“You have to understand, they were living under that dark cloud for years. That’s why you could never have peace,” he said.
On who might emerge to lead Iran, Trump said, “We don’t know who the leadership is. We don’t know who they’ll pick. Maybe they’ll get lucky and get someone who knows what they’re doing.”
Forty-nine people,” Trump said. “It was an amazing strike.”
“They got a little bit arrogant” by meeting all in one place, he added. “They thought they were undetectable. They weren’t undetectable. We were shocked by it.”
Trump said it was unclear who was now leading the country.
“They don’t even know who’s leading them now,” Trump said. “We went down 49” Iranian leaders.
“Those were the leaders, and some of them were being considered,” Trump said. But with more than four dozen killed, “we don’t know who’s leading the country now. They don’t know who’s leading. It’s a little like the unemployment line.”
The president said that his team tried to negotiate with the Iranians but “we couldn’t make a deal with these people.” Every new offer, he said, was met with a walk-back of previous offers.
he Iranians wouldn’t agree to end their enrichment of uranium, Trump said.
“They had all that enriched stuff. They looked at redoing it there, but it was in such bad shape, the mountain had basically collapsed,” Trump said.
Trump said of his military action: “This is the way” to deal with Iran.