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President Trump on Ground Troops in Iran: "Possibly" (March 2026)
President Trump and the White House on boots on the ground in Iran.
Trump not ruling out ground troops as Iran war enters second week · CBS Evening News · uploaded 2026-03-09 · 2:12
Original: youtube.com/watch?v=zXmu5Yn68eU · IPFS QmUHv5BbraRKyo3yqpBehnDM19TDQrDdtkU6HALysi8YW8
What this video is evidence for
The US–Israeli war on Iran began at the end of February 2026. By its second week (CBS Evening News, March 9, 2026), President Trump was asked directly whether American ground troops could go into Iran. His answer, on camera:
"Could there be? Possibly, for very good reason. Have to be very good reason. And I would say if we ever did that, they would be so decimated that they wouldn't be able to fight at the ground level."
The White House said there were "no current plans to put boots on the ground" but that the President was "keeping his options on the table." CBS reports that Democrats "and even some Republicans" were wary. One lawmaker in the report warns: "When you start putting boots on the ground, and those boots on the ground may need reinforcement, that starts looking like a longer term conflict."
The same report shows the cost already landing at home. The Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil flows, was "virtually closed to tankers, sending prices skyrocketing." Energy Secretary Chris Wright promised "weeks... not months."
The door to a ground war was opened in the war's first days, by the President himself. "Very good reason" is all it would take, and the uranium and Kharg Island pages show the reasons already being prepared.
Where this fits: see American Soldiers Iran Videos for the full explanation and sources.
Transcript
Machine transcription (apple-speechanalyzer) of the full 00:02:12. It can mishear names and words, so check exact wording against the video before quoting it.
The naming of Iran's new supreme leader comes as President Trump says, he is not ruling out sending in American ground troops. CBS is Nicole Killian is traveling with the president into Ralph, Florida. Good evening, Nicole. Good evening, Jarika. President Trump had no public events on his schedule today, but he did hold a call with the UK Prime Minister after recently criticizing him for being too slow to act.
As the U.S. Israeli war with Iran enters its second week, President Trump isn't closing the door on deploying American ground troops. Could there be? Possibly, for very good reason.
Have to be very good reason. And I would say if we ever did that, they would be so decimated that they wouldn't be able to fight at the ground level. The White House says, There are no current plans to put boots on the ground, but cautions the president is keeping his options on the table. Democrats and even some Republicans are wary. This is already a war that is becoming an ongoing disaster.
It gets worse if the president's talking about putting ground forces in. When you start putting boots on the ground, and those boots on the ground may need reinforcement, that starts looking like a longer term conflict. Today, President Trump held a call with British Prime Minister, Kier Stormer, a day after rebuffing his offer to send aircraft carriers to the region. In an interview late Saturday, the president told CBS News, it's a little bit late to be sending ships right a little bit late. Since the war began, the Strait of Hormuz, where about one fifth of the world's oil typically flows, has been virtually close to tankers, sending prices skyrocketing.
On Face the Nation, Energy Secretary Chris Wright says he expects traffic to resume relatively soon. We have a temporary period of elevated energy prices, but it will not be long. In the worst case, this is weeks. This is not months, and it leads to a much better place. Senate minority later, Chuck Schimmer is calling on President Trump to immediately tap into the strategic petroleum reserve to help lower oil and gas prices, but the president has previously downplayed that idea, saying there's already a lot of oil out there, Jarika.
Nicole Killian traveling with the president for us this weekend. Thank you.
Last Updated: 2026-09-27