\n<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump said the situation with Iran is \u201cvery close to over,\u201d defending the moment he chose to step in and warning what could have happened if he didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had to divert because if I didn\u2019t do that right now, you would have Iran with a nuclear weapon,\u201d Trump said. \u201cAnd if they had a nuclear weapon, you would be calling everybody over there, \u2018sir\u2019 \u2014 and you don\u2019t want to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump made the remarks during an interview that aired Wednesday morning on Mornings with Maria, where he was pressed on whether the conflict is nearing an end.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell you keep saying \u2018was\u2019\u2026 Is this war over?\u201d host Fox Business Network\u2019s Maria Bartiromo asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s close to over. I mean, I view it as very close to over,\u201d Trump responded.<\/p>\n
He added that even if the United States pulled back now, the damage has already been done.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I pulled up stakes right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild that country,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n
Still, Trump made clear the situation remains ongoing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not finished. We\u2019ll see what happens,\u201d he said, adding that he believes Iran is now eager to reach an agreement. \u201cI think they want to make a deal very badly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trump also weighed in on oil prices, brushing off concerns about the spike tied to the conflict.<\/p>\n
Speaking in the same interview, Trump said he expected things to get much worse and suggested where prices are now is not nearly as bad as some predicted.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people said it would be $200,\u201d Trump said. \u201cI think we\u2019re doing very well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bartiromo pointed out oil has still surged and markets have taken a hit, but Trump made clear he was willing to accept that tradeoff.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d he said. \u201cI was willing to do that, to stop a nuclear weapon from being used against this country or the Middle East.\u201d
Trump added that the current price actually caught him off guard.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you told me that we were gonna be at only $92 a barrel, I would have been very surprised,\u201d he said. \u201cI am very happy.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also predicted prices could fall quickly if the situation wraps up.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s gonna come dropping down very big as soon as it\u2019s over,\u201d Trump said, doubling down on his view that it could be \u201cvery soon.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n