Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump erupted in an expletive-laden Oval Office outburst over his faltering war with Iran as five months of conflict bring mounting casualties, $100 oil, and new assassination threats. Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC BY-SA 4.0

President Donald Trump erupted into an expletive-laden rage in the Oval Office over his escalating war on Iran, according to people who heard the meltdown.

The news came after Iran rejected an American ceasefire proposal delivered through Iraqi intermediaries on Thursday. To recall, the two nations remain locked in a rapidly escalating conflict that has now seen American forces conduct 13 consecutive nights of airstrikes.

Oil prices have risen in response to the continued fighting, breaching $100 (£75.04) a barrel for the first time since May. A top Iranian diplomatic official offered the blunt assessment, stating the US is 'up the creek.'

Protracted Iran War Timeline Frustrates President Trump

The American president is increasingly frustrated by the sheer length of the ongoing war, a conflict he initially boasted would wrap up in weeks. Almost five months have passed without a clear resolution in sight.

He showed this frustration when pressed by a reporter at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. Fresh from attending Sunday's World Cup final in New Jersey, Trump was asked why a war promised to last four or five weeks was nearing the five-month mark.

Trump immediately shot back, suggesting the press undersold the task. 'This is a far bigger job that we're doing,' he insisted. 'We were doing a little job, stopping them from having a certain capability. Now, we're just ending it.'

He gave a rambling, garbled answer before abruptly terminating the interview and hot-footing it to a waiting helicopter.

Failed Negotiations Trigger Trump Oval Office Outburst

According to reports, Trump reportedly went into meltdown mode, calling Iranian leaders 'scumbags and lunatics' in a rant peppered with expletives.

Failed negotiations have left him angry. One senior administration official told the publication the president believes the only thing Iran understands is military force. Sources noted he is in revenge mode against Tehran, adding he has no bright ideas beyond continuing the strikes.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration's posture. 'The United States signed an MOU with Iran and they broke it, shot at commercial ships, and killed American soldiers,' she stated. 'President Trump is not going to stand by and allow this terrorist behaviour to occur.'

The 28-year-old insisted Iran was paying for its behaviour, adding they would continue to do so 'until they come to the table in what President Trump deems a meaningful way.'

Tehran Responds To American Airstrikes With Drones

A senior Iranian diplomatic source has stated that the American approach will not work, lamenting the administration's coercive posturing and continued acts of aggression. The diplomat explicitly accused the US of breaking the Memorandum of Understanding signed in June.

'The US reneging on its commitments under the 17 June MoU is the cause of the current situation,' the source claimed, warning Tehran considers all options on the table, including diplomacy and force.

The Iranian military released a statement on Friday morning confirming it launched drones over US bases in Jordan and Bahrain in response to American attacks in Iran.

Reports have also noted that Trump has complained about the Kafkaesque network of intermediaries his diplomats must navigate. He has also moaned that whenever he feels progress has been made, Iran strikes an American target and undoes the diplomatic groundwork.

Assassination Threats Force Security Changes For Trump

Personal security threats compound these challenges. Israeli intelligence claims Trump himself is a target, with Israeli sources stating that Iran devised a plot to kill him.

Trump referenced being 'No. 1 on the kill list for Iran' when asked why he flew home from a NATO summit in Turkey on an older Air Force One instead of a new $400 million (£300.17 million) Boeing 747-800 gifted by Qatar.

After initially claiming he took the older jet for 'old times' sake', it emerged the new plane lacks critical antimissile capabilities, prompting the Secret Service to urge the switch. Said threat extends to his top aides, and have been instructed to stop using car services as a result.

Faced with collapsed talks and escalating threats, the American leader appears ready to step up the war. People familiar with his views told the Journal he believes he can break Iranian resolve with another intensive bombing campaign.

Texas Republican Representative Michael McCaul, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, offered insight into the president's mindset. 'I believe he thinks he gave peace a chance,' McCaul stated. 'He's going back to Plan A, which is the military operation.'

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