Fox New is pushing back against Trump and conservatives are surprised to see it.
Questions about Iran’s remaining military strength intensified over the weekend after fresh attacks on American forces prompted an unexpected line of questioning from Fox News host Maria Bartiromo. During an interview on Sunday Morning Futures, Bartiromo asked how Iran continues launching strikes against U.S. forces and regional allies despite President Donald Trump’s repeated statements that American military operations had severely crippled Tehran’s military capabilities.
The discussion comes as the White House has yet to release a detailed statement regarding the deaths of two U.S. service members following an Iranian attack on a U.S. military installation in Jordan.
Bartiromo Presses Former Trump Adviser
Speaking with former Trump National Security Adviser Victoria Coates, Bartiromo questioned how Iran is still capable of carrying out military operations if its forces have been significantly weakened.
“CENTCOM says there will be outsized action in retaliation,” Bartiromo said. “But I don’t understand how it’s possible that Iran has the capabilities to fight this way and continue to lash out at Gulf countries and U.S. military bases because the U.S. has obliterated Iran’s military, and the president continues to reiterate that.”
The question highlighted growing interest in just how much military capability Iran still possesses after months of conflict.
Coates: Iran Is Weaker, But Still Dangerous
Coates responded that Iran’s military has suffered major setbacks, but she cautioned against assuming the threat has been completely eliminated.
According to Coates, Iran’s missile launches have fallen dramatically since the conflict intensified earlier this year. She said Iranian forces have gone from firing well over 100 missiles per day during the early stages of the war to fewer than 10 on many recent days, with some days seeing no launches at all.
She also noted that Iran has not targeted Israel for several months, describing that as evidence that its offensive capabilities have been significantly reduced.
However, Coates stressed that a weakened enemy can still inflict damage.
She argued that Iran continues to threaten neighboring countries and American interests throughout the region, even if its military is far less capable than it was before the conflict began.
Coates also suggested that Iran’s ongoing aggression has had one unexpected consequence: strengthening cooperation between the United States, Israel, and several Middle Eastern nations.
According to her, regional governments have become increasingly united against Tehran, creating partnerships that would have been difficult to imagine just a decade ago.
Intelligence Reports Offer A Different Perspective
While the Trump administration has repeatedly argued that Iran’s military capabilities have been severely degraded, some intelligence reporting has suggested Tehran still retains substantial operational capacity.
Earlier this year, The New York Times reported that classified U.S. intelligence assessments concluded Iran had regained operational access to most of its missile launch sites and underground military facilities.
According to the report, Iran maintained access to 30 of its 33 missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz, with only three facilities considered completely inaccessible.
Those findings have fueled continued debate over the true condition of Iran’s military infrastructure and its ability to conduct future attacks.
Two American Troops Killed In Jordan
The debate comes amid another deadly escalation in the conflict.
U.S. Central Command announced Saturday that two American service members were killed and another remains missing after Iranian strikes targeted a U.S. military base in Jordan.
Four additional service members were injured during the attack but were treated and later released from a Jordanian hospital.
The attack marks one of the deadliest incidents involving American troops in the region in recent months and is expected to increase pressure on the administration to respond.
Trump Reaffirms U.S. Position
During a brief interview with NewsNation on Saturday, President Trump expressed sorrow over the loss of the service members while reaffirming his administration’s position on Iran.
“It’s a very sad thing. We hate to see it happen,” Trump said. “It’s in service to our country… we’re never going to allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also honored the fallen troops in a message posted on social media.
“Godspeed, heroes,” Hegseth wrote. “Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve.”
Why This Matters
The latest attack has renewed concerns about Iran’s ability to threaten U.S. troops and American allies despite months of military operations designed to weaken its capabilities.
The deaths of two U.S. service members are also likely to increase calls for a stronger American response as tensions continue to rise across the Middle East.
Whether that response comes through additional military action, tougher economic sanctions, or increased diplomatic pressure remains to be seen. What is clear is that Iran continues to pose a challenge to regional stability, ensuring the conflict will remain one of the Trump administration’s most closely watched national security issues in the weeks ahead.