Trump Claims U.S. Spared Iran's Military Due to Its 'Somewhat Moderate' Nature

Donald Trump stated on May 31, 2026, that the United States 'left Iran’s military alone,' emphasizing that the decision was informed by lessons learned during the Iraq war. He framed Iran's military as 'somewhat moderate,' a claim that directly shaped the U.S. approach. Anadolu Ajansı reported this as part of a broader discussion on U.S. military strategy, while Haaretz highlighted the 'somewhat moderate' characterization as the central rationale for the decision.