President Donald Trump spent the opening hours of a lethal conflict with Iran saturating Truth Social with throwback videos and political attacks, prompting harsh backlash as U.S. forces came under Iranian missile and drone fire across the Middle East.
The 79-year-old president launched a late-night posting blitz on Monday, March 2, 2026, that continued beyond midnight, blending boastful messages and personal grievances with sporadic updates about the military effort known as Operation Epic Fury. His frenetic online presence unfolded at the same time Iranian counterstrikes were underway, attacks that ultimately killed six U.S. service members stationed in Kuwait.
Less than six hours after wrapping up the posting marathon, Trump was back on Truth Social at 5:48 a.m. Tuesday, announcing: “TRUTH SOCIAL IS THE BEST! There is nothing even close!!!”
The unusual online outburst occurred shortly after Trump delivered his first lengthy public remarks on the Iran operation during a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House. During that event, he abruptly shifted from discussing the conflict to musing about construction noise and his wife’s irritation with pile drivers.
“When you hear all the hammering out there, you know why the first lady is not thrilled exactly,” Trump told attendees. “She said, ‘Will the pile drivers ever stop?’ You know they go from six in the morning until 11:30 in the evening.”
Trump was referencing his $400 million ballroom project underway on White House grounds, which has ballooned from an original $200 million estimate. Privately funded by donors including companies such as Palantir, Lockheed Martin, and Meta, the project has drawn accusations of corruption from Democrats. During the ceremony, Trump bragged about choosing gold drapes and selecting doors, claiming he had “saved curtains” with his design decisions.
Later Monday night, as Iranian drones targeted the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia, Trump posted an old video montage of himself and Melania from their 2004 appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” shortly after they got engaged. He also shared articles praising Melania’s landmark role leading a United Nations Security Council meeting on children in conflict zones.
Mixed among the complimentary posts were attacks on Senator Mark Kelly and Rep. Jason Crow, who had issued a video in November encouraging troops to refuse unlawful orders. Trump claimed “Mark Kelly and the group of Unpatriotic Politicians were WRONG” and accused them of “seditious behavior.” The Justice Department later opened an investigation, though a grand jury declined to indict them in February.
His posting spree also took aim at Nancy Pelosi, Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, and Joe Biden. One message about Pelosi demanded to “lock her up,” while Trump praised Florida Rep. Byron Donalds. He also shared content declaring himself “the greatest president to ever live.”
Trump’s late-night online activity prompted criticism from observers who noted the stark contrast with the rapidly worsening military situation. As the president reminisced about old media appearances and targeted political rivals, six American troops were killed when a drone hit a temporary operations site at the Port of Shuaiba in Kuwait early Sunday local time.
The Pentagon confirmed that all six casualties were Army Reserve members. The first four identified Tuesday were Capt. Cody Khork, 35; Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39; and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20. The final two — Maj. Jeffrey R. O’Brien, 45, of Waukee, Iowa, and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, California — were identified Wednesday.
During Monday’s Medal of Honor event, Trump suggested the Iran campaign might last “four to five weeks” but cautioned the U.S. was ready to continue “far longer.” The death toll in Iran reached at least 787, according to the Iranian Red Crescent, while the joint U.S.-Israeli operation had already killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and numerous senior officials.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged the grim circumstances during a Pentagon briefing. “As the president warned, an effort of this scope will include casualties,” he said. “War is **** and always will be.”
The contrast between Trump’s online demeanor and the severity of the conflict underscored what critics describe as his unconventional wartime communication style—favoring Truth Social posts, phone interviews, and spontaneous tangents about curtains and construction projects over formal Oval Office addresses as American forces face danger abroad.
