Here is a partial timeline of Donald Trump saying the Iran war is almost over, going great, or about to end:
March 8: “We’re very close to a deal.” (Iran’s military: “Has the level of your inner struggle reached the stage of you negotiating with yourself?”)
March 15: Talks “going very well.” (Iran: “We have no intention of negotiating.”)
March 26: Extended his own deadline, said the war would be over “very soon.”
April 5: Threatened to bomb every power plant in Iran. “Open the f-kin strait, you crazy bastards.”
April 8: Threatened to destroy “a whole civilization.” Agreed to a ceasefire two hours before his own deadline.
April 13: Ceasefire talks in Islamabad collapsed after 21 hours. Trump announced a blockade.
April 15: “Very close to over.” Talks could resume “in the next two days.”
This is week seven. In seven weeks, the president has said the war is almost over, almost done, going great, going very well, and very close to ending. During those seven weeks, more than 3,400 people have been killed, including 1,600+ civilians and at least 170 children. At least 15 U.S. service members are dead. The Strait of Hormuz — through which 20% of the world’s oil normally flows — remains effectively closed. Gas is over $4 a gallon. The economy approval rating is 31%, the lowest of his presidency. And the ceasefire he agreed to expires in six days.
What He Told Fox
Trump told Maria Bartiromo on Fox News that the war is “very close to over” and that peace talks with Iran could restart “in the next two days.” The same week, the Pentagon confirmed the Strait of Hormuz blockade is “fully implemented” — except it’s not. CNN satellite imagery from April 14 shows ships breaking through. Iran is threatening to block all Gulf trade if its ports are impeded. The ceasefire deadline is April 21. Iran is rebuilding missile launchers that were destroyed in strikes, with half already partially restored according to satellite analysis.
What He Can’t Afford
The same president who says the war is almost over told his budget director on April 1 not to send money for childcare, calling it a “little scam.” He can’t afford childcare. He can’t afford to keep Medicare and Medicaid fully funded — the One Big Beautiful Bill already cut $1.02 trillion from Medicaid. He requested the largest defense budget in American history: $1.5 trillion. The war costs an estimated $1 billion per day. But the war is very close to over, he says, so presumably the money will stop flowing any day now.
“We will measure our success not only by the battles we win, but also by the wars that we end — and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into.” — Donald Trump, Second Inaugural Address, January 20, 2025
He said that 14 months ago. In those 14 months, he started a war with Iran, deployed tens of thousands of troops to the Middle East, closed the Strait of Hormuz, caused the largest spike in gas prices in 60 years, watched the economy tank, and told Fox News — for the fifth or sixth time — that it’s almost over. It is not almost over. It has never been almost over. And every time he says it is, more people die before the next time he says it again.
Sources
- FOX Business / Mornings with Maria: Full Trump interview — “I view it as very close to being over”; “If I pulled up stakes right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild”; “We’re not finished”; peace talks expected to restart Thursday; naval blockade context. April 15, 2026.
- Fox News: Vance “a lot of progress” claim; Graham “if you don’t take this deal, you’re gonna regret it”; Pakistan talks led by Vance, Witkoff, Kushner; Trump “warships being reloaded” threat. April 10, 2026.
- Euronews: Trump says Iran war “very close to over”; truce talks advancing; blockade context. April 13, 2026.
- EU Perspectives: 12 million barrels/day lost; gas prices 40% above pre-war; Brent at $96 futures / $124 spot; ceasefire economic impact; “part of the damage has been done.” April 9, 2026.
Related coverage
- EOH: Ceasefire expires April 21, missile bases rebuilding
- EOH: Islamabad talks collapse, blockade announced
- EOH: “Talks going very well” — Iran: “We have no intention of negotiating”
- EOH: Iran says US is “negotiating with itself”
- EOH: “A whole civilization will die” — then agreed to ceasefire
- EOH: Childcare is a “little scam”
- EOH: Easter Sunday power plant threats