After launching airstrikes on Iran over the weekend, President Donald Trump “guesses” that Americans should be worried about retaliatory attacks.
In a cover story interview with TIME, published on Thursday (March 5), Trump, 71, answered questions with correspondent Eric Cortellessa about details of the unfolding war with Iran.
In a pointed moment, Cortellessa asked the two-time president about Iran launching retaliatory attacks on U.S. soil. “I guess,” he said, acknowledging the possibility.
“But I think they’re worried about that all the time. We think about it all the time. We plan for it. But yeah, you know, we expect some things. Like I said, some people will die. When you go to war, some people will die.”
His comments come after six U.S soldiers were killed by Iranian strikes with 18 others wounded at the time of this article’s publication.
PBS reports that over 1,000 people total were believed dead as of Wednesday, March 4, as a result of the conflict in the Middle East, which has impacted surrounding nations.
“Relief operations are ongoing, with 1,009 emergency response teams deployed across 153 affected counties,” the Iranian Red Crescent Society said, per the The Wall Street Journal.
During the phone call interview with TIME, Trump added that he has “no time limits” on how long the war with Iran could go on. I have no time limits on anything. I want to get it done.” Previously, he told the public that he expects the war to last four to five weeks.
The war, which is nearing a week, has come at a significant financial cost to the American taxpayer. Daily operations in and around Iran for these major military systems are costing taxpayers an estimated $59.39 million per day, per, The Institute for Policy Studies.