President Donald Trump spent the early hours of a deadly war with Iran flooding Truth Social with nostalgic videos and attacks on political rivals, drawing sharp criticism as American troops faced Iranian missiles and drones across the Middle East.
The 79-year-old president launched a late-night posting spree on Monday, March 2, 2026, that stretched past midnight, mixing self-congratulatory content and grievances with occasional updates on the military campaign dubbed Operation Epic Fury. The frenetic social media activity coincided with Iranian counterattacks that would ultimately claim the lives of six U.S. service members stationed in Kuwait.
Less than six hours after his marathon posting session wound down, Trump jumped back on Truth Social at 5:48 a.m. Tuesday to declare: “TRUTH SOCIAL IS THE BEST! There is nothing even close!!!”
The bizarre social media behavior occurred just hours after Trump gave his first extended public update on the Iran offensive during a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House. During that appearance, the president abruptly pivoted from discussing the war to rambling about White House construction noise and his wife’s complaints about pile drivers.
“When you hear all the hammering out there, you know why the First Lady is not thrilled exactly,” Trump told the assembled audience. “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 referring to his $400 million ballroom project under construction on the White House grounds, which has ballooned from an initial estimate of $200 million. The project, funded by private donors including corporations like Palantir, Lockheed Martin, and Meta, has sparked accusations of corruption from Democrats. During the ceremony, Trump boasted about selecting gold drapes for the entrance and picking out doors, claiming he had “saved curtains” with his design choices.
Later Monday night, while Iranian drones struck the U.S. embassy in Saudi Arabia, Trump posted a nostalgic video compilation of himself and First Lady Melania from their 2004 appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” shortly after their engagement. He also shared articles hyping Melania’s historic appearance presiding over a United Nations Security Council meeting focused on children in conflict zones.
Mixed among the flattering posts were attacks on Senator Mark Kelly and Rep. Jason Crow, who had issued a video in November telling troops they “can and must refuse illegal orders.” Trump wrote that “Mark Kelly and the group of Unpatriotic Politicians were WRONG” and accused them of engaging in “seditious behavior.” The Justice Department subsequently opened an investigation into the lawmakers, though a grand jury in February refused to indict them.
The posting spree also targeted Nancy Pelosi, Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, and Joe Biden. One post about Pelosi called to “lock her up,” while Trump praised Florida Rep. Byron Donalds. He also reposted content calling himself “the greatest president to ever live.”
Trump’s late-night activity drew criticism from observers who noted the jarring contrast with the escalating military situation. While the president shared engagement memories and attacked political opponents, six American troops died when a drone struck a makeshift operations center at the Port of Shuaiba in Kuwait on Sunday morning local time. The Pentagon identified four of the fallen as Army Reserve members: Capt. Cody Khork, 35; Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39; and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20.
During Monday’s Medal of Honor ceremony, Trump indicated the Iran campaign could last “four to five weeks” but warned the U.S. was prepared to go “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 dozens of senior officials.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged the grim reality at 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 social media activity and the grave military situation underscored what critics have called his unorthodox approach to communicating during wartime—eschewing formal Oval Office addresses for Truth Social posts, phone interviews, and impromptu digressions about curtains and construction projects while Americans fight and die overseas.