Washington, April 2: In his first prime-time address since the Iran war began, President Donald Trump declared Wednesday that US forces will soon “finish the job,” with core objectives—like destroying Iran’s missile production, navy, proxy networks, and nuclear ambitions—nearing completion.
Speaking from the White House Cross Hall, Trump highlighted Operation Epic Fury’s progress over the past month: Iran’s missile and drone capabilities “dramatically curtailed,” weapons factories destroyed, navy and air force in ruins, and IRGC leadership decimated. He insisted the conflict isn’t about resources like oil, emphasizing US energy independence from his “drill baby, drill” policies, which he claims outproduce Saudi Arabia and Russia combined.
“We’re totally independent of the Middle East, yet we’re there to help our allies,” Trump said, downplaying gas price fears amid the Strait of Hormuz blockade fueling a global energy crisis.
On Iran’s nuclear program, Trump stated sites are under “intense US surveillance,” with recent strikes having “obliterated” capabilities—despite prior conflicting claims and pre-war US intelligence assessments that Iran hadn’t restarted weapons development but was technically positioned to do so if desired. “If they make a move, we’ll hit them hard again,” he warned, slamming Obama’s nuclear deal as a path to Iranian nukes.
Trump urged patience, comparing the 32-day campaign to longer wars like Vietnam (nearly 20 years) and WWII, calling US victories “swift and overwhelming.” He dismissed independent data questioning Iran’s “decimation” and omitted mention of thousands of newly deployed US troops or NATO tensions, where he’s threatened withdrawal over allies’ refusal to secure the Hormuz Strait.
A recent AP-NORC poll shows 60% of Americans believe Trump’s actions have gone too far, as oil prices soar from the strait closure affecting one-fifth of global supply.
