Trump addresses the nation on the Iran war, signals quick US exit hopes, and clashes with NATO over Strait of Hormuz tensions.
WASHINGTON: Some allies are pushing the president to assuage growing concerns among Americans, most of whom oppose the conflict and are upset at rising gasoline prices due to disruptions in the global oil supply.
Trump said rising fuel prices are ‘short term’
The president briefly addressed those concerns, saying that prices would come back down, though he did not commit to any timeline to end the war.
“Many Americans have been concerned to see the recent rise in gasoline prices here at home. This short-term increase has been entirely the result of the Iranian regime launching deranged terror attacks against commercial oil tankers of neighboring countries that have nothing to do with the conflict,” Trump said.
He also predicted that hits to financial markets would soon reverse.
“Our economy is strong and improving by the day, and it will soon be roaring back like never before. It will top the levels that it was a month ago,” he said.
Trump didn’t mention NATO
Trump did not directly discuss NATO, despite telling Reuters in an interview earlier in the day that he would also express his disgust with the alliance for what he considers its lack of support for U.S. objectives in Iran.
A transatlantic rift in Trump’s second term deepened after European allies rebuffed his request to help maintain safe passage for oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
He said in the interview he was “absolutely” considering withdrawing the United States from NATO, a treaty organization ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1949.
Trump has flirted with a withdrawal in the past and has successfully pressured NATO members to increase their defense spending.
Trump says US will hit Iran hard over next two to three weeks
“I can say tonight that we are on track to complete all of America’s military objectives shortly,” Trump said.
“We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We are going to bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong,” Trump said in his nationally televised address.
He said the Strait of Hormuz would open up naturally after conflict ended.
Trump says war’s objectives are ‘near completion’
“And tonight I’m pleased to say that these core strategic objectives are nearing completion,” Trump said in his address.
“I can say tonight that we are on track to complete all of America’s military objectives shortly,” he added.
He has not yet addressed a timeline for ending the military campaign, but has said recently it could be “pretty quickly”.
He earlier laid out a timeline of two to three weeks.
Trump touts ‘overwhelming victories’ in Iran
Trump opened his speech declaring success in the U.S. and Israeli military attacks on Iran.
“In these past four weeks, our armed forces have delivered swift, decisive, overwhelming victories on the battlefield. Victories like few people have ever seen before,” he said.
“Tonight, Iran’s navy is gone. Their air force is in ruins. Their leaders… are now dead. Their command and control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is being decimated as we speak. Their ability to launch missiles and drones is dramatically curtailed,” Trump said.
“Never in the history of warfare has an enemy suffered such clear and devastating large-scale losses in a matter of weeks.”
