The war was necessary, it is almost won, it will soon be over: after a month of conflict, Donald Trump tried on Wednesday to justify the military operation against Iran. He notably stated that the United States was “close” to achieving their objectives.
On February 28, the American president had announced the start of the “Epic Fury” offensive through a pre-recorded video, broadcasted from his private residence in Florida, wearing a cap and no tie.
Wednesday, the Republican leader delivered a solemn live speech, widely watched, from the White House. “Over the past four weeks, our armed forces have achieved rapid, decisive, and overwhelming victories on the battlefield, victories like few people have ever seen before,” he declared.
The speech of just under 20 minutes was full of hyperboles but was overall much more restrained than Trump’s often erratic and sometimes contradictory posts on his Truth Social platform.
Ongoing discussions with Iran
The American president seemed to read from a teleprompter throughout, avoiding his usual improvised banters.
“Tonight, I am happy to say that the fundamental strategic objectives are close to being achieved,” he stated, suggesting that the military operation should be completed within two to three weeks. During this period, Iran will be hit “very hard”. The President stated that if the ongoing discussions with Iranian leaders were not successful, he would hit “each of their power plants very hard and probably simultaneously.” “We will bring them back to the Stone Age they belong to,” he added.
Quick reference to the price of gasoline
Donald Trump quickly touched on the topic that concerns Americans and has caused him to plummet in the polls over the past month: the surge in gasoline prices.
“This is a ‘short-term’ phenomenon and the American economy has ‘never been stronger,'” he assured, claiming that the country was experiencing “no inflation,” contrary to the data, and stating that investments were pouring in.
“The US, as an oil exporter, does not depend on supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz, blocked by Iran. Countries suffering from the blockade of this strategic artery should ‘take care of it,’ he said, while promising not to ‘abandon’ his Gulf allies.
No mention of a ground attack
During his speech, the Republican leader avoided mentioning a possible deployment of ground troops, a highly unpopular prospect, and did not resume his anticipated sharp attacks against NATO.
“Trump quickly moved on to the issue of Iran’s enriched uranium reserves (the ‘nuclear dust,’ as he calls it), stating that they were deeply buried after the bombings carried out in June 2025 by the United States and suggesting that satellite surveillance would suffice for now.
Shortly before the speech, a senior White House official listed the “objectives” of the operation as they are presented today. Namely: “destroy” Iranian missile capabilities; “annihilate” the Iranian navy; “ensure that their terrorist allies can no longer destabilize the region” and “guarantee that Iran will never have nuclear weapons.”
Falling in the polls
No mention was made of the “regime change” Trump has talked about, and the liberation of the Strait of Hormuz was not mentioned either.
Americans, who will vote in a few months in crucial legislative elections, are mostly opposed to the conflict. Opinion polls also indicate a drop in what was once one of the former businessman’s strong points during the campaign.
The proportion of Americans trusting the president to manage the country’s economy has dropped to 31% in the latest CNN/SSRS poll, a record low in his political career.
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