Trump Says Operation “Epic Fury” Ahead of Schedule During First War Cabinet Meeting

On 26/03/2026, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that American military operations against Iran, referred to by the administration as Operation Epic Fury, were progressing ahead of schedule. Speaking during his first cabinet meeting since the conflict began on 28/02/2026, Trump said the campaign had already achieved substantial progress within 26 days. He referenced earlier internal estimates suggesting a four to six week timeline for key objectives and told officials that operations were “extremely, really, a lot ahead of schedule,” according to remarks delivered during the meeting. Trump also addressed negotiations, claiming Iran was seeking an agreement to halt hostilities. He said Iranian leaders were “begging” for a deal, while maintaining that any discussions would occur only after U.S. objectives were met. Iranian officials publicly denied direct negotiations at the time and stated that military pressure would not alter Tehran’s position. The comments came amid ongoing U.S. strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure and regional proxy networks across multiple theaters linked to the conflict. During the same meeting, Trump criticized NATO allies for their level of support. He described naval assets offered by allied countries as insufficient and said the United States no longer required additional assistance for the operation. The remarks reflected tensions between Washington and some alliance partners over the scale and coordination of military contributions during the campaign.