During a Sunday morning interview on CBS, Senator Tom Cotton firmly dismissed the notion that President Donald Trump intends to deploy American troops to Iran. The Arkansas Republican, who chairs the US Senate Intelligence Committee, addressed this topic while speaking with Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan.

When Brennan inquired whether Trump’s cautioning of potential “American casualties” implied a deployment of ground forces, Cotton was quick to clarify. He stated, “No, Margaret, the president has articulated clearly that we should anticipate an extensive air and naval campaign. This strategy aims not only to hinder Iran’s nuclear pursuits but also, and more critically, to dismantle its extensive missile arsenal.”

Cotton elaborated by highlighting the magnitude of Iran’s military capabilities. He noted that Iran possesses more missiles than the combined air defenses of the United States and Israel, including missile launchers and production facilities, which are targeted in the campaign.

Adding to the strategic operations, a US official confirmed that the Pentagon recently deployed four B-2 stealth bombers. These aircraft were used to drop dozens of 2000-pound bombs, effectively neutralizing Iran’s underground ballistic missile sites.

‘Many more missiles than the United States and Israel have air defenses combined, as well as the missile launchers and its missile manufacturing capability,’ the Arkansas Republican continued.

A US official confirmed Sunday that the Pentagon flew four B-2 stealth bombers to unleash dozens of 2000 lb bombs taking out Iran’s underground ballistic missiles. 

However, Cotton did note one scenario that could see US troops involved.

‘Now obviously one risk of that kind of campaign is that an aircraft could be shot down, and the president would never leave a pilot behind. So no doubt we have combat search and rescue assets in the region that are prepared to go in and extract any downed pilot,’ he noted’

‘But barring that kind of unusual circumstance, Margaret, the president has no plan for any kind of large-scale ground force inside of Iran,’ he concluded.

Brennan had asked Cotton if Trump’s warning that there could be ‘American casualties’ in the war meant that ‘the U.S. is putting boots on the ground’

Senator Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, on ‘Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan’ on March 1, 2026

This handout picture provided by the office of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei shows him during a religious gathering in Tehran on February 19, 2026. He was killed in Operation Epic Fury on Saturday

A screen grab from a video released on U.S. President Donald Trump’s Truth Social account shows Donald Trump making statements regarding combat operations on Iran on February 28, 2026

Cotton also told CNN’s State of the Union host Dana Bash that Iran has crossed red lines.

‘There’s no doubt, though, that Iran is going to continue to target our bases in the region, our Arab friends, and Israel,’ Cotton noted.

That’s why it was so vitally necessary that we put an end to Iran’s 47-year campaign of terror and revolutionary violence once and for all,’ he continued.

Reacting to Trump’s attack on Iran on Saturday, Cotton argued that ‘Iran has waged war against the U.S. for 47 years,’ before providing a slew of examples to back up his argument.

‘The hostage crisis, the Beirut Marine barracks, Khobar Towers, roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan that killed or maimed thousands of American soldiers, the attempted assassination of President Trump,’ Cotton wrote in an X post.

A US official confirmed Sunday that the Pentagon flew four B-2 stealth bombers to unleash dozens of 2000 lb bombs taking out Iran’s underground ballistic missiles

This image provided by US Central Command shows a F-35C Lightning preparing to launch from the USS Abraham Lincoln

US Navy sailors transferring ordnance on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln

An explosion is seen off the coast of Haifa in northern Israel Saturday as Iran retaliated against a joint US-Israel operation that took place Saturday morning

This map charts US and Israel’s strikes on Iranian targets in red and Iran’s retaliatory strikes in Israel, Qatar the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in orange 

‘The butcher’s bill has finally come due for the ayatollahs. May God bless and protect our troops on this vital mission of vengeance, and justice, and safety,’ he concluded.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican, called the strikes, ‘a pivotal and necessary operation to protect Americans and American interests.’