President Donald Trump is “prepared to unleash hell” if Iran refuses to “come to a deal,” the White House warned Wednesday, cautioning that the regime “should not miscalculate again” after suffering devastating battlefield losses, as U.S. forces — including Marines and elements of the 82nd Airborne Division — deploy to the Middle East to support combat operations against Iran.
Speaking at a White House briefing, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president remains willing to listen as talks with Tehran continue, but stressed the regime is now being given a final opportunity to accept the reality of its battlefield defeat and come to terms.
“Iran should not miscalculate again,” Leavitt warned, arguing that the regime’s last miscalculation has already cost it “their senior leadership, their navy, their air force, and their air defense system.”
She said the message from the president is clear: If Tehran refuses to accept that reality, the consequences will intensify.
“If they fail to understand that they have been defeated militarily and will continue to be, President Trump will ensure they are hit harder than they have ever been hit before,” Leavitt said, adding that “President Trump does not bluff and he is prepared to unleash hell.”
Leavitt framed the escalation as a choice now squarely in Iran’s hands, warning that any further conflict would be the result of the regime’s refusal to engage.
“Any violence beyond this point,” she said, “will be because the Iranian regime refused to understand they have already been defeated and refused to come to a deal.”
The White House framed the warning as the direct result of what it described as overwhelming U.S. and Israeli battlefield gains under Operation Epic Fury.
More than 9,000 targets have been struck since the start of the operation, Leavitt said, while Iran’s ballistic missile and drone attacks have fallen by roughly 90 percent from the opening phase of the war.
She added that U.S. forces have destroyed more than 140 Iranian naval vessels, including nearly 50 mine layers — calling it the largest elimination of a navy over a three-week period since World War II.
The campaign has expanded to include precision strikes on underground facilities and coastal missile systems, crippling Iran’s ability to conduct offensive military operations and threaten regional shipping.
Leavitt said the operation is moving faster than initially projected, with the administration approaching its core objectives ahead of the four-to-six-week timeline outlined at the outset.
“Twenty-five days in, the greatest military the world has ever known is ahead of schedule and performing exceptionally,” she said.
That accelerated timeline, she indicated, has pushed Tehran toward what she described as an “exit ramp” following Trump’s warning over the weekend.
“Following President Trump’s powerful threat on Saturday evening, it was made clear to the United States that Iran wanted to talk,” Leavitt said, adding that the president “is willing to listen.”
She said the United States has engaged in “productive conversations” over the past three days, which led Trump to temporarily postpone planned strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure only — a move framed as tactical leverage, not a broader de-escalation.
Leavitt said the remaining elements of the Iranian regime now have another opportunity to cooperate with the president, abandon their nuclear ambitions, and cease threatening the United States and its allies.
“The president’s preference is always peace,” she said. “There does not need to be any more death and destruction.”
Addressing reports surrounding a proposed U.S. framework, Leavitt cautioned against relying on incomplete accounts, saying claims about a 15-point plan contained “elements of truth,” but were “not entirely factual.”
“The White House never confirmed that full plan,” she said. “What I will tell you is these talks are ongoing.”
Reuters reported Wednesday that negotiations remain active despite signs of an initially negative Iranian response, with a senior Iranian official indicating Tehran has not formally rejected the proposal outright.
As Breitbart News reported Tuesday, the U.S. force buildup in the region continues to broaden the president’s options, with thousands of troops from the 82nd Airborne Division deploying alongside Marine Expeditionary Units already moving into the theater.
Leavitt declined to discuss specific troop movements, but emphasized that the administration is maintaining maximum flexibility as operations continue.
“The president likes to maintain options at his disposal,” she said.
Asked about the type of leadership Washington would ultimately seek in Iran, Leavitt said the United States would favor a government willing to engage constructively — not one that continues to chant “Death to America.”
For now, the administration’s position is straightforward: Iran has been severely weakened, talks remain on the table, and the president is prepared to hear what is offered — but if the regime refuses to accept defeat and come to terms, the next phase will be far more severe.
Joshua Klein is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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