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President Donald Trump delivered a 19-minute televised address from the White House on Wednesday, insisting that the United States is nearing a decisive victory in its month-long war with Iran.
Despite plunging approval ratings and a global energy crisis, the president rehashed several of his recent social media claims, promising another two to three weeks of “extremely hard” strikes to “finish the job.”
He framed the conflict as a necessary mission to dismantle Iran’s military infrastructure and regional influence, asserting that core strategic objectives are close to completion.
The speech, intended to reassure a wary public, offered a formal justification for the military campaign launched alongside Israel on February 28.
Trump highlighted the first-day strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader as a sign of American dominance, yet he largely bypassed the reality of the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
This maritime closure has trapped a fifth of the world’s oil supply, sending U.S. fuel prices over $4 a gallon and causing consumer confidence to falter.
In response to the address, global markets tumbled on Thursday morning as hopes for an immediate ceasefire evaporated.
Diplomatic clarity remained elusive, with critics like Senator Chris Murphy arguing that the speech failed to signal whether the administration intends to escalate or de-escalate.
Trump threatened to target Iran’s civilian power grid, a move experts warn could constitute a war crime, if a settlement is not reached, vowing to “bring them back to the Stone Ages.”
While the president claimed the Iranian leadership was desperate for a truce, Tehran has dismissed such assertions as “irrational,” leaving the two nations at a volatile impasse as the conflict enters its second month.
