Trump says war on Iran to go on for “2-3 more weeks” – National & International News
Trump says war on Iran to go on for “2-3 more weeks”
In an address to the nation Wednesday evening, President Trump said the US will hit Iran “extremely hard” over the next 2-3 weeks and “bring them back to the Stone Ages”. He also repeated his threat to hit Iran’s power generation plants if they do not give the US want it wants in current negotiations (though Iran insists no negotiations with the US are ongoing). Trump insisted these actions were necessary, despite claiming that the US military had already “decimated” Iran’s military capabilities.
Trump also repeated talking points from his Truth Social posts earlier this week indicating that re-opening the Strait of Hormuz is no longer a strategic priority for the US. Trump said that very little of the oil in the US market transits the Strait. He repeated his call for other nations who depend on the Strait to continue the fight to open it, insisting that it should be east for them since “the hard part” has already been done by the US.
Polls show that since the war began on February 28, a majority of Americans has consistently opposed it. Respondents have also expressed concern about high gas prices and other price increases resulting from the war. Trump’s comments Wednesday night dashed hopes that the war would be over in time to prevent its worst economic consequences, which could still be weeks away. During his speech, Trump was largely dismissive of the dismal forecasts that have been shared by experts in recent weeks.
Before his speech in the evening, Trump said that the US would be out of the Iran war “pretty quickly” but that the US would return for “spot hits” if needed. Iranian officials have said repeatedly that they have no interest in ending the war without establishing a lasting deterrence against future aggression by the US and Israel. As one Gulf expert told Reuters, “He (Trump) might stop the war, but that doesn’t mean Iran will”. As long as US military assets remain in the region and remain a threat to Iran, Iran could continue to target them regardless what Trump does.
Related:
NATO chief to visit Washington as Trump threatens to withdraw US from alliance.
Other news of note:
Artemis II embarks on NASA’s first moon mission in decades.
Supreme Court justices signal skepticism over Trump’s order to end birthright citizenship.
Death of nearly blind refugee released by Border Patrol ruled a homicide.
Luigi Mangione’s federal and state trials pushed back.
DNA testing confirms Utah teen killed in 1974 was victim of serial killer Ted Bundy.
Babies taken from Gaza two years ago return as toddlers to their overjoyed parents.
Pakistan and Afghanistan open talks in China to end deadly weekslong conflict.
