Fox News anchor Bret Baier said that President Donald Trump told him that America’s military actions against Iran have essentially hit their “four-point checklist for Operation Epic Fury’s success,” adding that it has been “check, check, check, check.”
“I just got off the phone with the president. He is very pleased with you how things are going. Disheartened about the loss of life and there may be more. He said along the way. As far as the progress, he said they are ahead of where they thought they would be,” Baier began.
“I want to read some quotes that I asked him and how he answered. He said that as far as a plan, they do have a plan. Always had a plan. The intelligence, the level of intelligence that they have had up to this point is truly amazing. I asked what you are saying is you know there is somebody on the ground in Iran that is going to rise up. Quote, yeah, I feel there is. I feel that and some of them are no longer with us to be honest because it was 49 leaders that were taken out,” Baier added.
“That was going to take four to six weeks to get rid of the Iranian leadership, and it is always, you know, if they hide it is a lot longer than four weeks. They would have been hiding. We were shocked when we heard what was going on. We knew exactly what was happening and where. 49 leaders. You know, they are talking about using people now that nobody ever heard of even they don’t know,” he continued.
Baier then kicked it over to senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy to provide more details.
“The checklist for success in Epic Fury had four points on it, and according to officials here, so far it has been check, check, check, check. So, Epic Fury can end soon, that is what we are going to hear from President Trump in less than three hours,” Doocy said.
“13,000 combat flights have struck 12,300 targets and destroyed 155 Iranian vessels. Iran is a danger and I think we have attacked and destroyed their industrial complex and their weapons. I thank the administration for doing that, but I think we need to go ahead and wind down very soon,” Doocy said.
“In two to three weeks it will wind down, according to White House officials, who tell us tonight’s remarks will highlight how the Pentagon has met these goals: destroy Iran’s deadly ballistic missiles and production facilities, annihilate their navy, ensure their terrorist proxies can no longer destabilize the region, and guarantee that Iran can no longer obtain a nuclear weapon. Iran’s president complained today: ‘Portraying Iran as a threat is neither consistent with historical reality nor with present-day observable facts.’ But the White House says Iranian leaders keep lying,” Doocy continued.
“Pressure on Europe from the West Wing is building. According to the Financial Times, Donald Trump threatened to stop supplying weapons for Ukraine in order to pressure European allies to join a coalition of the willing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz,” Doocy continued.
“And Reuters reports that tonight President Trump will express his disgust with NATO for what he considers the alliance’s lack of support for U.S. objectives in Iran. President Trump says he is strongly considering withdrawing from the alliance, and he can do that with two-thirds Senate support or an act of Congress. So far, key NATO allies unmoved,” Doocy added.
“The special relationship not so special during this military campaign. Still, we don’t expect to hear President Trump say that alliances are weaknesses, it’s gonna be more like alliances are irrelevant and Epic Fury is proof. Now, NATO says they are going to send their secretary general here to Washington next week for what they insist is a long-planned visit,” he added.
