In remarks reported by CBS News and later during a phone interview with NBC News, Trump said Iranian military capabilities had been significantly degraded during the conflict, which has escalated in recent weeks alongside Israeli operations in the region.

"I think the war is almost over,” Trump said, according to the CBS correspondent. "They don’t have a navy, they don’t have communications, they don’t have an air force.” He added that the pace of developments was "far ahead” of the timeline his administration initially estimated at four to five weeks.

Trump also addressed political changes inside Iran following the reported death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in an airstrike early in the conflict. Iran’s clerical establishment has since selected his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the country’s new supreme leader.

"I think they made a big mistake choosing the son,” Trump said, adding that he was uncertain whether the appointment would ultimately hold. Iranian authorities have not publicly responded to the U.S. president’s remarks.

The U.S. leader declined to elaborate on reports that Washington had considered identifying or supporting an alternative leadership figure in Tehran.

Trump also said discussion of the United States potentially seizing Iranian oil resources was premature, though he acknowledged the idea had been raised within policy circles. "People have certainly talked about it,” he said, drawing a comparison to U.S. involvement in oil shipments from Venezuela.

Energy markets have reacted sharply to the conflict. Global oil prices rose above $100 per barrel over the weekend as fighting intensified between U.S.–Israeli forces and Iran, raising concerns about supply disruptions. Iran ranks among the world’s top oil producers, accounting for roughly 5 percent of global output, with about 80 percent of its crude exports reportedly shipped to China.

Analysts say any prolonged disruption to Iranian exports—or potential U.S. control over part of that supply—could further strain global energy markets and complicate relations between Washington and Beijing.