Prime-time Trump: Iran War ‘close’ to end, ‘extremely hard’ attacks coming
President Donald Trump addressed the nation on Wednesday night, saying he believes his administration’s objectives in the Iran War are close to completion. It’s the first prime-time address from the commander-in-chief since the war began more than a month ago.
Trump speech
During the roughly 19-minute speech, the president said they’re closer to their objectives, but gave no specific timeline on when the war might end.
He did say the U.S. would continue to hit Iran hard over the next two or three weeks.
“We are going to finish the job, and we’re going to finish it very fast,” Trump said.
He said the U.S. had accomplished its main goals, saying Iran’s Navy is gone and its Air Force is in “ruins.”
The president echoed the administration’s earlier messaging that this war is important for America’s future and ridding the world of Iranian nuclear capabilities. He added that American forces had once again hit Iranian nuclear sites in the last few days.
“Every American can look forward to a day when we are finally free from the wickedness of Iranian aggression and the specter of nuclear blackmail,” Trump said.
Trump thanked Israel and other Gulf nations for their part in the fight.
“They’ve been great, and we will not let them get hurt or fail in any way, shape or form,” Trump said.
He did not mention putting U.S. troops on the ground in Iran.
Oil concerns
Following the speech, oil prices jumped nearly 4%, mostly because traders saw no indication of when the conflict could end.
However, Trump did say the U.S. has “so much gas” despite rising prices. The president credited that to his push for more drilling on American shorelines.
The president did not mention the early April deadline he had previously set for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian president’s letter
The president of Iran posted a letter to the American people ahead of Trump’s speech.
In that letter, Masoud Pezeshkian highlighted some of the concerns Americans have had about this war.
“Exactly which of the American people’s interests are truly being served by this war?” the letter reads.
He also called out the Trump administration for pulling out of the nuclear deal negotiated by former President Barack Obama.
“Iran pursued negotiations, reached an agreement, and fulfilled all its commitments,” Pezeshkian wrote. “The decision to withdraw from that agreement, escalate toward confrontation, and launch two acts of aggression in the midst of negotiations were destructive choices made by the U.S. government—choices that served the delusions of a foreign aggressor.”
While his letter attacked the Trump administration’s moves, it did not mention many of the concerns of Western nations, including Iran’s potential nuclear capabilities, terrorism sponsorship, war crimes and oppression of its own people.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
