In his first prime-time address since initiating military action with Israel over a month ago, the President provided an update on the conflict in Iran.
WASHINGTON — On Wednesday night, President Donald Trump spoke to the nation, delivering his inaugural prime-time address since the joint military strikes with Israel began more than a month ago, offering insights into the ongoing conflict in Iran.
Trump utilized the speech to reach a broad audience, aiming to clarify the war’s objectives amidst weeks of shifting goals and mixed signals about whether the U.S. military presence in the region would be scaled back or intensified. This comes as Iran continues its offensives against Israel and neighboring Gulf countries, while airstrikes target Tehran.
“Over the past four weeks, our armed forces have achieved swift, decisive, overwhelming victories on the battlefield,” Trump declared.
The address comes at a time of escalating oil prices, unpredictable financial markets, and polls indicating that many Americans believe the U.S. military engagement in Iran is excessive. Despite this sentiment, additional American troops are being deployed to the region, potentially gearing up for a ground offensive. Trump’s decision not to give a speech when the initial attacks were launched raises questions about the timing and effectiveness of his message now.
A White House official, who was not authorized to speak publicly ahead of the address and spoke on condition of anonymity, said the president will talk about U.S. progress on achieving his goals in Iran and will reiterate his estimated timeline for concluding operations within two to three weeks.
Just before Trump began speaking, the United Arab Emirates warned the public about a missile threat from Iran. A series of blasts could then be heard in Dubai as air defenses worked to intercept the Iranian barrage.
Trump on Wednesday claimed Iran’s president wanted a ceasefire ahead of his speech to the American people. Trump made the claim on his Truth Social website. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Trump’s remarks were “false and baseless.”
The president has said one of his primary goals of the war was to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and he told Reuters on Wednesday that has been achieved, though it isn’t clear how.
Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium that could potentially be used to build nuclear weapons is believed to be buried under the rubble of a mountain facility that was hit during strikes last June — and that hasn’t changed since the war with Iran began this year. Trump has said the United States would move to take the uranium if it reaches a deal with Iran.
But he said Wednesday that the uranium is “so far underground, I don’t care about that.”
“We’ll always be watching it by satellite,” he said.
Trump also said Iran is now “incapable” of developing a nuclear weapon.
The conflict has intensified in recent days, with the U.S. and Israel launching new strikes on Tehran. Iran has responded with fewer missiles but continues deploying low-flying drones that are harder to intercept. More than 3,000 people have been killed in the region, and millions have been displaced in Lebanon and Iran.
The war is also impacting Americans at home. Gas prices rose above $4 per gallon earlier this week for the first time since 2022, with analysts warning higher fuel costs could drive up prices for goods and travel.
Since the conflict began, 13 U.S. service members have been killed and 348 wounded, including six seriously, according to U.S. Central Command.
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