Return to Transcripts main page

CNN News Central

Interview with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Minority Leader: Democratic Response to Iran Strikes; Pentagon Holds News Conference on Iran Strikes. Aired 8-8:30a ET

Aired March 02, 2026 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[08:00:00]

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Clearly, if you don't get Republican support, that means what for Congress's role as you watch this play out?

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY), MINORITY LEADER: Well, we know it's a bipartisan resolution to begin with. Of course, it's being carried by Representative Khanna and Representative Massie. I think there's another Republican --

BOLDUAN: You could lose some Democrats. You could lose a couple Democrats.

JEFFRIES: Well, we're working hard to make sure that that doesn't happen, that we have -- we know we'll have incredibly strong Democratic support. We'll meet as a caucus on Wednesday following the all-member briefing on Tuesday.

BOLDUAN: So has Congress failed if you do not succeed with these votes?

JEFFRIES: Republicans have failed. Now, we've seen this want to be king try to rip away Congress's power of the purse. We've managed to reverse that.

He's tried to rip away Congress's power as it relates to tariffs. Working with our attorney generals and governors and others across the country, we've managed to reverse that through the most recent Supreme Court decision. And we're going to do the same thing as it relates to reclaiming Congress's power with respect to matters of war and peace.

BOLDUAN: What do you think happens if the Iranian people don't, quote- unquote, rise up after this?

JEFFRIES: Well, it's extraordinary that Donald Trump is urging the Iranian people to rise up and acknowledging that this military action is connected to regime change.

BOLDUAN: He did say -- and this has been a winding road. But this did begin with Donald Trump seeing the protests, massive protests, and the bloody crackdown that killed thousands that occurred in Iran.

And Donald Trump said very clearly, keep protesting. Help is on the way. And this then led to concerns from him on the nuclear program.

JEFFRIES: There's nowhere in the United States Constitution where it says that we are to be the policemen and women of the world. I mean, that's the reality. Yes, we are the leaders of the free world at this particular point in time.

But there's a role for the United States to play in terms of diplomacy, building coalitions. And none of that was done in this particular instance. And the American people, again, are not interested in their taxpayer dollars being spent for another failed regime change war.

BOLDUAN: But strong statements coming from the British prime minister and from France, a collective statement basically speaking out and saying that they don't support this unprovoked -- the way they put it is kind of unprovoked war.

What do you-- do you hope, though, if this continues, just given the reality that the UK, France, Germany are allies, they stand with the United States no matter what President Trump decides to do here?

JEFFRIES: Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. But that's not clear that that's going to happen, because I think what we're seeing in many parts of the world is an understanding that this was not just an unauthorized military set of strikes. It was unjustified.

We still haven't been provided any rationale that actually makes sense in terms of protecting the national security of the American people by Donald Trump and his administration.

BOLDUAN: Do you think Trump can pull off a regime change without putting U.S. boots on the ground?

JEFFRIES: No, that's impossible for him to do. Now, he's claiming that he's not going to put U.S. boots on the ground, but he's claimed a lot of things only to do the exact opposite. This is the same person who said he is coming back to the presidency to get America out of endless wars, and now he has just gotten us into a potential endless war in the Middle East of all places where we know, based on what happened in Afghanistan, based on what happened in Iraq, based on what happened in Libya, it's not going to end well for American interests.

BOLDUAN: Leader Jeffries, thank you for coming in. You have a briefing, a classified briefing this morning, later this morning, and then an all-member briefing tomorrow. And now we are standing by as we watch this live video, the live camera of the Pentagon, to hear them address on-camera reporters for the first time.

Thanks for coming in.

JEFFRIES: Thank you.

BOLDUAN: Actually, we're going to stand here together.

Here comes the Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine. Let's listen in. PETE HEGSETH, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Well, good morning. We just finished an update with Admiral Brad Cooper, the CENTCOM commander across the CENTCOM AOR, our leadership and troops, as you would expect, doing a fantastic job.

Two days ago, under the direction and direct orders of President Donald J. Trump, the Department of War launched Operation Epic Fury. The most lethal, most complex, and most precise aerial operation in history. For 47 long years, the expansionist and Islamist regime in Tehran has waged a savage, one-sided war against America.

They didn't always declare it openly, except for their constant chants of death to America. They did it through the blood of our people. Car bombs in Beirut, rocket attacks on our ships, murders at our embassies, roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan, funded and armed by Iranian Quds Force and IRGC killers.

[08:05:00]

My generation of veterans carry the names of brothers who never came home. Brothers butchered by Iranian-backed roadside bombs and well- armed militias, thousands of our own. We didn't start this war, but under President Trump, we are finishing it. Their war on Americans has become our retribution against their Ayatollah and his death cult.

It took the 47th president, a fighter who always puts America first, to finally draw the line after 47 years of Iranian belligerence. He reminded the world, as he has time and time again, being an American means something unbreakable. If you kill Americans, if you threaten Americans anywhere on earth, we will hunt you down without apology and without hesitation, and we will kill you.

President Trump has also been very consistent. Crazy regimes like Iran, hell-bent on prophetic Islamist delusions, cannot have nuclear weapons. It's common sense.

Many have said it, but it takes guts to actually enforce it, and our president has guts. Iran's stubborn and self-evident nuclear pursuits, their targeting of global shipping lanes and their swelling arsenal of ballistic missiles and killer drones are no longer tolerable risks. Iran was building powerful missiles and drones to create a conventional shield for their nuclear blackmail ambitions.

Let me say that again, a conventional shield for their nuclear blackmail ambitions. Our bases, our people, our allies, all in their crosshairs. Iran had a conventional gun to our head as they tried to lie their way to a nuclear bomb.

It almost worked under Obama and his terrible deal, but not under this president. Turns out the regime who chanted death to America and death to Israel was gifted death from America and death from Israel. This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it.

Today, in their desperation, the enemy is unmasked. As Iranian missiles and drones rain down indiscriminately on the hotels, airports, apartments, and other civilian targets of their neighbors. Cowardly terrorist tactics from a regime that for decades has trafficked in cowardly terrorist tactics, lies, death, and destruction to this day.

The Iranian leadership has built nothing except proxies and missiles and drones and deeply buried nuclear factories and facilities. Peaceful nuclear ambitions do not need to be buried underneath mountains. Last June, Operation Midnight Hammer obliterated their nuclear program to rubble.

Afterward, we told them plainly, that's it, now make a deal. They arrogantly refused. We said, rebuild it, and we'll stop you again, this time far worse.

Well, President Trump, Secretary Rubio, Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, they bent over backwards for real diplomacy, offering pathway after pathway to peace. I watched it. I was there.

They tried over and over and over again, earnest attempts at peace. The former regime had every chance to make a peaceful and sensible deal, but Tehran was not negotiating. They were stalling, buying time to reload their missile stockpiles and restart their nuclear ambitions.

Their goal -- hold us hostage, threatening to strike our forces. Well, President Trump doesn't play those games. And as Secretary Rubio said after the Maduro raid, if you don't know, now you know.

President Trump puts America and Americans first. He doesn't hesitate and neither do our troops. The mission of Operation Epic Fury is laser focused.

Destroy Iranian offensive missiles, destroy Iranian missile production, destroy their Navy and other security infrastructure, and they will never have nuclear weapons. We're hitting them surgically, overwhelmingly, and unapologetically. With every passing day, our capabilities get stronger and Iran's get weaker.

We set the terms of this war from start to finish. Our ambitions are not utopian, they are realistic, scoped to our interests and the defense of our people and our allies.

[08:10:00]

Speaking of people, we hope the Iranian people take advantage of this incredible opportunity. President Trump has been clear, now is your time. To Iranian security forces, choose wisely. President Trump has also been clear about your fate in either direction.

To the media outlets and political left screaming, endless wars, stop. This is not Iraq. This is not endless. I was there for both.

Our generation knows better and so does this president. He called the last 20 years of nation-building wars dumb, and he's right. This is the opposite. This operation is a clear, devastating, decisive mission. Destroy the missile threat, destroy the navy, no nukes. Israel has clear missions as well, for which we are grateful.

Capable partners, as we've said since the beginning, capable partners are good partners. Unlike so many of our traditional allies who wring their hands and clutch their pearls, hemming and hawing about the use of force. America, regardless of what so-called international institutions say, is unleashing the most lethal and precise air power campaign in history.

B-2s, fighters, drones, missiles, and of course, classified effects. All on our terms, with maximum authorities. No stupid rules of engagement, no nation-building quagmire, no democracy-building exercise, no politically correct wars.

We fight to win, and we don't waste time or lives. As the president warned, an effort of this scope will include casualties. War is hell and always will be.

A grateful nation honors the four Americans we have lost thus far and those injured. The absolute best of America. May we prosecute the remainder of this operation in a manner that honors them.

No apologies, no hesitation, Epic Fury for them and the thousands of Americans before them taken too soon by Iranian radicals.

Before I turn it over to General Caine for the operational update, let me speak straight to you, the joint force, our warriors on the front lines. This is your moment.

This is the generational turning point America has waited for since 1979. And since the rudderless wars of hubris, my generation, our generation, endured. Don't listen to the noise.

Just stay focused. Our commander-in-chief is steady at the wheel. We face a determined enemy, but you are better.

But we must prove it every single day. History doesn't care if we're tired, if we're scared, or if the fight feels big. It demands warriors who rise anyway.

Peace through strength, the warrior ethos, lethality, unity of purpose, those are not slogans. They're the beating heart of what it means to wear the uniform, that uniform. You think clearly under fire, you act decisively in chaos.

You uphold the Constitution and you uphold our country without hesitation. We are not defenders anymore. We are warriors, trained to kill the enemy and break their will.

History is watching. Be the force you swore an oath to be focused, disciplined, lethal, and unbreakable. We will finish this on America first conditions of President Trump's choosing.

Nobody else's, as it should be. And know this above all, President Trump and I have your back, always. Through fire, through criticism, through fake news, through everything, we unleash you because you are the best, most powerful, most lethal fighting force the world has ever seen.

May almighty God watch over you and his providential arms of protection extend over you. Godspeed warriors and keep going.

General Caine, over to you.

GEN. DAN CAINE, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: Thank you, Mr. Secretary, and good morning, everyone. The purpose of my portion of the briefing today is to update you and the American people on the actions taken thus far.

The briefing will discuss the preparation, the planning, setting the force, the early operations, and how we're assessing the progress thus far. So let's get started.

[08:15:00]

On Saturday, 28 February, at 01:15 Eastern Standard Time, 9:45 a.m. local Tehran time, on the orders of the President of the United States, U.S. Central Command, under the command of United States Navy Admiral Brad Cooper, commenced Operation Epic Fury.

As I said, I'm going to walk you through the initial phases of the operation, but first I want to express my deep condolences and the condolences of the joint force to the Department of War personnel killed and wounded in action thus far. As the Secretary said, they're heroes and represent the best of our nation has to offer. They're true examples of what selfless service means.

Our deepest and heartfelt condolences are with their families, their friends, and their units. We grieve with you and we will never forget you. Additionally, I stand here before you today grateful for each service member, planner, logistician, operator across our joint force, for our Department of War civilians, our intelligence community teammates, our interagency teammates who continue to stand in harm's way alongside us.

I am proud of all of you as you take the fight to the enemy, and we are the best in the world at integrating, period. I want to extend my personal gratitude to the dedicated commanders and senior enlisted leaders and the enlisted members of the joint force who are fighting this fight across the CENTCOM AOR. In addition to Admiral Cooper and Fleet Master Chief Compton, I want to highlight a few today.

U.S. Army Central Command Commander Lieutenant General Pat Frank, who along with his team are fighting the counter-missile and counter-drone fight. United States Navy Central Command Commander Vice Admiral Curt Renshaw and his team who are engaged with the Iranian Navy and projecting American naval combat power from the seas. And United States Air Force Central Command Commander Lieutenant General Derek France and his leadership team who are crushing Iranian targets from the air. I want to highlight the support to the CENTCOM fight from other combatant commands who are directly involved with this effort to include U.S. Space Com, U.S. Cyber Com, and U.S. U-Com. I also want to specifically call out United States Transportation Command and U.S. STRATCOM for their contributions to this fight. We cannot project American combat power at the time and place of our choosing without both.

And finally, I want to express how deeply thankful I am for the continued service and sacrifice of the entire Joint Force and their families. Their unwavering commitment and dedication are the cornerstones of this effort. So let me start with a few details.

First, to be clear, as the Secretary said, this is not a single overnight operation. The military objectives that CENTCOM and the Joint Force have been tasked with will take some time to achieve and in some cases will be difficult and gritty work. We expect to take additional losses.

And as always, we will work to minimize U.S. losses. But as the Secretary said, this is major combat operations. So let me talk about the preparation and the planning.

On February 28th, the full strength of America's Armed Forces came together in a unified purpose against a capable and determined adversary. The United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, and our Reserve components integrated across our combatant commands and began coordinated operations with the Israeli Armed Forces of an unprecedented scale. As the Secretary laid out, our military objectives are clear.

Our mission is to protect and defend ourselves and together with our regional partners prevent Iran from the ability to project power outside of its borders and be ready for follow-on actions as appropriate. Across every domain, land, air, sea, cyber, the U.S. Joint Force delivered synchronized and layered effects designed to disrupt, degrade, deny, and destroy Iran's ability to conduct and sustain combat operations.

On the U.S. side, this marked the culmination of months and in some cases years of deliberate planning and refinement against this particular target set. From precision strikes against key military infrastructure to persistent intelligence and targeting integration to the close coordination of the components across vast distances, this operation again demonstrated America's reach, readiness, and professionalism and that of our Joint United Force. It was historic not only in the operational scope but in the level of joint integration displayed across every element of the Joint Force and not only in the operational scope but in the level of joint integration displayed across every element of the Joint Force. And as I said earlier, this work is just beginning and will continue.

So now to talk a little bit about setting the force and setting the theater. On the order of the Secretary of War over the last 30 days to reinforce deterrence and provide the President with credible options should action be required, the Joint Force began to systematically reposition assets and personnel across the region. These movements ensured that U.S. forces remained postured, protected, and ready to respond decisively for any emerging threat. This deployment included thousands of service members from all branches, hundreds of advanced fourth and fifth generation fighters, dozens of refueling tankers, the Lincoln and Ford Carrier Strike Group and their embarked air wings, sustained flow of munitions, fuel supplies, all supported with command and control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance network. And the flow of forces continues today. In fact, Admiral Cooper will receive additional forces even today.

This rapid buildup of forces demonstrated the Joint Force's ability to adapt and project power at the time and place of our nation's choosing. I want to highlight a couple specific cases for you.

The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which many of you know was down in the Western Hemisphere, redeployed across the Atlantic to set the theater. The ship, her crew, their families, and the entire strike group took a deep breath and, as they always do, began planning to conduct combat operations. The Integrated Reserve and National Guard forces have continued to demonstrate the value of America's reserve forces, including the Wisconsin Army National Guard operating in Kuwait and Iraq and Air National Guard units from a variety of states to include Vermont and Virginia.

In the case of the Vermont Air National Guard and the 158th Fighter Wing, they were mobilized for Operation Absolute Resolve and then were tasked to take their F-35As across the Atlantic instead of going home to be prepared to support this operation. The same is with our Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command tanker and mobility forces who stepped right out of their civilian jobs to deploy and to protect the region.

Lastly, I want to highlight the unsung heroes of warfare, our American logisticians and sustainment force, those who quietly work every day behind the scenes to project and sustain America's combat power. Our leaders from World War II were right when they said professionals do logistics.

As regional tensions rose, the Joint Force elevated our force protection measures on the order of the Secretary and repositioned discreetly civilians and nonessential personnel designed to ensure the safety and security of our Joint Force. By the time operations began, only essential forces remained on our bases and in theater, already capable to respond.

So now let me move to H-Hour. At 15:38, 3:38 p.m., on Friday, February 27th, the United States Central Command, through the Secretary of War, received the final go order from President Trump. The President directed, and I quote, "Operation Epic Fury is approved, no aborts, good luck," close quote.

In the region, every element of the Joint Force made their final preparations. Air defense batteries readied themselves, checking their systems to respond to Iranian attacks. Pilots and crews rehearsed their strike packages for the final time. Air crews began loading their final weapons, and two carrier strike groups began to move towards their launching points. Across the globe, our operation centers came alive in Tampa, Florida, here at the Pentagon, and of course forward in the Central Command AOR. As always, operational security was paramount, as we sought to maintain and sustain the element of surprise.

This operation was highly classified so that at H-Hour, the enemy would see one thing, speed, surprise, and violence of action. The first movers were USCYBERCOM and USSPACECOM, layering non-kinetic effects disrupting and degrading and blinding Iran's ability to see, communicate, and respond.

[08:25:00]

At H-Hour, the beginning of major combat operations, 01:15 local Eastern Daylight Time, 9:45 local a.m. Tehran Time, as dawn crept up across the Central Command AOR, the skies surged to life. More than 100 aircraft launched from land, sea, fighters, tankers, airborne early warning, electronic attack, bombers from the States, and unmanned platforms, forming a single synchronized wave.

This was a daylight strike based on a trigger event conducted by the Israeli Defense Forces, enabled by the U.S. intelligence community. The first shooters at sea were tomahawks unleashed by the United States Navy, closed in on Iranian naval forces, and began to conduct strikes across the southern flank in Iran. On the ground, forces fired precision standoff weapons, measured, deliberate, precise, and lethal.

This was a massive, overwhelming attack across all domains of warfare, striking more than 1,000 targets in the first 24 hours. We are now roughly 57 hours into the operation. In the initial phase, CENTCOM's focus was systematic targeting of Iranian's command and control infrastructure, naval forces, ballistic missile sites, and intelligence infrastructure, designed to daze and confuse them.

Coordinated space and cyber operations effectively disrupted communications and sensor networks across the area of responsibility, leaving the adversary without the ability to see, coordinate, or respond effectively. The combined impact of these strikes, swift, precise, and overwhelming, has resulted in the establishment of local air superiority. This air superiority will not only enhance the protection of our forces but also allow them to continue the work over Iran.

Over the course of the last two days, the Joint Force has launched hundreds of missions from land and sea and delivered tens of thousands of pieces of ordnance. The effort continues to scale. This included American B-2 bombers, which again, similar to Midnight Hammer, flew a 37-hour round-trip sortie from the continental United States, dropping precision-penetrating munitions on Iranian underground facilities across the southern flank and slightly deeper.

Additionally, Israel has separately executed hundreds of sorties against hundreds of targets. Beyond Air Force and Navy aircraft strike packages, coordinated salvos of precision standoff weapons from across the region have neutralized hundreds of pre-planned targets. As I mentioned earlier, in support of these kinetic operations, U.S. CYBERCOM and SPACECOM have continuously layered effects to disrupt, disorient, and confuse the enemy. I will note that this operation had several combat firsts, which I'll allow, at some point in the future, Admiral Cooper to talk about, since he owns the AOR.

While we've prosecuted a relentless offensive campaign, our defense has been equally important. Across-the-theater operations have remained steady and disciplined. Once again, our integrated air and missile defense network is performing exactly as it's intended.

U.S. Patriot and THAAD batteries, along with ballistic missile defense-capable Navy destroyers, continue to coordinate and execute intercepts with precision and consistency. I wish that every American could hear the voice communications like I have as these joint operations centers remain calm, focused, and cool while executing under fire over and over again.

Collectively, these systems have intercepted hundreds of ballistic missiles targeting U.S. forces, our partners, and regional stability. The threat from one-way attack UAVs has remained persistent. Our systems have proven effective in countering these platforms, engaging targets rapidly.

Each intercept represents hundreds of hours of training, readiness, and technology all coming together to work as designed. We remain vigilant in the counter-UAV fight.

And the defense of the region is not ours alone. As the threat grew, our partners surged in beside us. Air defense batteries in Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia joined the fight, proof positive that years of training, trust, and hard-earned integration pay off.

I am aware of the loss of three U.S. Air Force F-15Es overnight in the region. I am grateful for the safety of the crews, and we know that this was not from ...

[08:30:00]