Trump attacks American media with 'treason' and Congress pressures to reveal costs of war on Iran

US President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on American media outlets, describing their coverage of military tensions with Tehran as 'virtual treason'. Trump accused these outlets of spreading false news that gives the Iranian side undue hope by exaggerating its military capabilities in confronting the United States.

In a post on his 'Truth Social' platform, Trump considered reports praising Iranian military performance to be issued by 'cowardly Americans' who stand against their country's interests. The US President claimed that the Iranian navy had been completely crushed, indicating that about 159 Iranian ships were at the bottom of the sea as a result of military operations.

Trump continued his claims by asserting that the Iranian air force had effectively ceased to exist, and that technological and military leaderships in Tehran no longer had an effective presence. He described the Iranian state as experiencing a comprehensive 'economic disaster', despite not providing concrete evidence to support these assertive statements about the extent of the destruction.

On the domestic policy front, Trump affirmed that the financial crises facing American citizens would not deter him from continuing his military and political pressures against Tehran. He clarified before departing for China that his sole and primary goal is to ensure Iran does not possess nuclear weapons, regardless of the economic consequences for the American domestic situation.

In a related context, the Pentagon is facing increasing pressure from members of Congress who demand full transparency regarding the costs of the ongoing war, which has reached a stalemate. Lawmakers expressed concern about the impact of these exorbitant costs on consumer prices and inflation rates that burden American voters ahead of the midterm elections.

Sources within the Department of Defense revealed that initial estimates for the cost of the war jumped from $25 billion to about $29 billion unexpectedly. Financial observers described previous estimates as 'unrealistically low', raising doubts about the accuracy of the data provided by the administration to Parliament.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth refrained from providing satisfactory answers to Congress regarding the details of defense spending within the proposed massive budget of $1.5 trillion. Hegseth and General Dan Kien also refused to provide accurate assessments of what remained of Iran's missile inventory, which further heightened tensions with lawmakers.

Field reports indicate a significant gap between the White House's claims of destroying most of the Iranian arsenal and the reality that shows a large number of weapons remaining intact. This contradiction prompted members of Congress to demand a comprehensive review of the military strategy adopted in the region and its economic viability.

In New Delhi, the US-Israeli war on Iran is expected to dominate the agenda of the meeting of foreign ministers of the 'BRICS' group. This meeting represents a real test of the group's ability to formulate a unified stance on the escalating conflict in the Middle East, especially with the accession of active parties to the group.

Tehran called on the Indian government, which currently chairs the group, to use this international platform to condemn US and Israeli military actions. Iran seeks to build international consensus to pressure for a halt to military operations targeting its infrastructure, defensive, and economic capabilities.

Deep divisions within 'BRICS' between Iran and the UAE are evident, with each party adopting a different vision for the conflict that erupted in late February. Reports of regional countries participating in strikes against Iranian targets further complicate reaching a joint final statement that enjoys the consensus of members.

Diplomatic sources reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will arrive in India to participate in the meetings, with expectations of his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov's presence. Ambiguity remains regarding the level of Emirati representation amid direct military tensions with the Iranian side.

India's Ministry of External Affairs acknowledged the difficulty of reaching a consensus given the direct involvement of some group members in the armed conflict. Nevertheless, New Delhi hopes to come up with a diplomatic formula that eases regional tensions and calls for restraint.

These developments come at a sensitive time for the US administration, which is trying to balance its geopolitical ambitions with increasing popular pressure due to the high cost of living. Trump's threat to 'annihilate' the Islamic Republic if no agreement is reached remains a sword hanging over the stalled negotiations.

The only thing that matters when I talk about Iran is that they don't get a nuclear weapon... I'm not thinking about the financial situation of Americans, that's the only thing that motivates me.