Trump's Military Ideas for Iran Revealed for the First Time
Informed American sources revealed that U.S. President Donald Trump showed serious interest in private discussions about the possibility of deploying American forces on the ground inside Iran, according to current and former officials and a source familiar with NBC News.
The sources confirmed that Trump discussed this possibility with his aides and some Republican officials outside the White House, as part of his visions for a post-conflict phase with Iran.
This vision includes securing Iran's uranium stockpile and establishing cooperation with a new Iranian regime in oil production, similar to the relationship Washington has with Venezuela.
The sources confirmed that the discussion did not touch on a wide ground invasion but was limited to deploying a small American force for specific strategic objectives, noting that Trump has not made any official decision yet regarding sending ground troops.
For her part, White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt denied the accuracy of these reports, describing them as “assumptions from unknown sources not belonging to the National Security team nor privy to the discussions,” adding that Trump always seeks to keep all options open.
Despite Trump's public statements, which have so far been limited to air operations, private discussions suggest he may be more willing to consider the option of deploying ground forces, while observers warn that any such move could expand the scope of the war and increase risks to American troops.
The sources also clarified that Trump presented to his aides a model of what he sees as the ideal outcome in Iran, similar to the development of the relationship between the United States and Venezuela after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro last January, and Washington's support for Delsy Rodriguez to take the presidency on the condition of implementing policies favorable to U.S. interests, including benefiting from oil production.
Foreign policy experts emphasized that deploying American forces inside Iran could occur in specific scenarios, such as targeting objectives that cannot be destroyed through airstrikes.
Former Trump administration official and Hudson Institute researcher Joel Rayburn stated that these operations could involve a rapid attack or a special forces raid, followed by a quick withdrawal, noting that these operations differ significantly from the traditional concept of ground deployment.
Meanwhile, Behnam Ben Taleblu, director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, stated that the collapse of the Iranian regime may require the use of American forces to monitor the uranium stockpile or manage the new relationship between Washington and Tehran, warning that Iran should not become a “nuclear market for a failed state.”
At the same time, the United States is planning to send a drone defense system to the Middle East, a move that reflects the ongoing military tensions in the region.
