By Gloria Ogbonna
Former Vice President Kamala Harris sharply criticized President Donald Trump ahead of his nationally televised address on the escalating conflict with Iran, accusing him of dragging the United States into a war Americans did not want and failing to focus on pressing domestic concerns.
In a video statement released prior to the president’s Wednesday night remarks on Operation Epic Fury, Harris made clear she would not be tuning in but had strong words about the administration’s handling of the crisis.
“I’m not going to be able to watch the president’s address tonight,” Harris began, “but here’s the thing — he brought America into a war that people do not want.” She argued that the president’s actions had placed American service members in harm’s way and contributed to rising costs at home.
“Costs are rising by the day,” she said, contending that the administration has neglected the everyday needs of American families while focusing on military escalation abroad.
Harris also suggested that Trump would attempt to frame the military campaign as a success. “I bet you he’s going to try and claim victory tonight,” she said. “But the reality is, we’re watching what he does instead of listening to what he says,” implying that actions on the ground should carry more weight than presidential rhetoric.
Later that evening, President Trump delivered his address, offering a dramatically different assessment of the situation. He declared that Iran had suffered devastating losses under Operation Epic Fury, asserting that the country’s navy was effectively destroyed and its air force left in ruins.
Trump also claimed that much of Iran’s leadership had been eliminated and that the command structure of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was being “decimated as we speak.”
According to the president, Iran’s missile and drone capabilities had been “dramatically curtailed,” while weapons factories and rocket launchers were “being blown to pieces.”
Earlier in the day, Trump posted on Truth Social that Iran had requested a ceasefire, but he said the United States would only consider such a move once the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz was “open, free, and clear.”
Trump maintained that the administration’s objectives — dismantling Iran’s navy and air force, crippling its missile systems, preventing it from acquiring a nuclear weapon, and cutting off support for terrorist proxies — were close to being achieved.
“We are on track to complete all of America’s military objectives shortly, very shortly,” he said. The president added that strikes would continue for another two to three weeks and warned that Iran would be pushed “back to the stone ages” if hostilities persisted.
He further claimed that Iranian nuclear facilities had been hit so extensively that it would take months to even approach what he called the “nuclear dust.” Trump cautioned that any attempt by Iran to revive its nuclear program would prompt immediate retaliation, emphasizing that U.S. satellite surveillance remains fixed on key sites. “If they make a move, even a move,” he warned, “we will hit them very hard.”
Despite the intensity of the military campaign, Trump said the United States had intentionally refrained from targeting Iran’s oil and energy infrastructure, leaving open the possibility of rebuilding if a cooperative leadership emerges in Tehran. However, he warned that refusal to engage in peace talks could result in those facilities being destroyed, effectively eliminating Iran’s economic lifeline.
Addressing concerns about rising gas prices, Trump argued that the United States produces more oil and gas than Saudi Arabia and Russia combined and relies minimally on shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
He attributed recent price spikes to Iranian attacks on commercial oil tankers and predicted that fuel prices would stabilize once the conflict subsides and maritime routes reopen.
Polling suggests the operation has strong backing among Republican voters. A March survey conducted by J.L. Partners found that 83 percent of likely Republican voters either strongly or somewhat supported the president’s military action against Iran.
Meanwhile, Harris’s remarks sparked additional commentary from political figures and media personalities. Comedian Adam Carolla criticized Harris and other Democrats opposing Trump’s policies, arguing that under her leadership Iran would have already acquired a nuclear weapon and border security would have weakened. His blunt remarks added another layer to the increasingly heated political debate.
The stark contrast between Harris’s warning and Trump’s declaration of progress underscores the deep divide in Washington over the administration’s Iran strategy — a divide that is likely to shape political discourse as the conflict continues to unfold.
Source Breitbart