Washington, DC – US President Donald Trump's much-anticipated national address on the war with Iran failed to deliver any major announcements, instead repeating familiar talking points from recent weeks. Analysts had speculated about a potential declaration of an end to the conflict or an escalation, but the speech, lasting less than 20 minutes, offered no new plans or specifics.
In his remarks, Trump reiterated four key assertions: the war is necessary, it has already been won, it must continue, and it will conclude soon. However, he provided no details on how the war would actually end or what kind of deal he is supposedly seeking with Iran. Sina Azodi, assistant professor at George Washington University, told Al Jazeera: "The speech had no point; it was a repetition of everything he had said in the past."
Trump alleged that Iran is acquiring and would use nuclear weapons, despite previous US strikes in June 2025 that he claimed obliterated Iran's nuclear program and his own intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard's statement to lawmakers that "Iran is not building a nuclear weapon." Iran has consistently denied seeking nuclear weapons, while Israel is widely believed to possess an undeclared nuclear arsenal.
The US president accused Iran of chanting "Death to America" for 47 years and being behind attacks such as the 1983 Marine barracks bombing in Beirut, the USS Cole bombing in 2000, and the October 7, 2023, attack in Israel. However, the USS Cole attack was carried out by al-Qaeda with no proven links to Iran, and there is no evidence directly linking Iran to the October 7 incident.
Public opinion polls indicate strong majority opposition to the war in the US, with support even eroding within Trump's Republican base. A recent YouGov poll showed only 28% of respondents, including 61% of Republicans, support the war, down from 76% in a March survey. Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute noted: "They're losing patience, paying higher prices at the gas station and grocery store."
Trump has claimed negotiations with Iran are ongoing, but Iranian officials have denied this, dismissing such assertions as fabrications to manipulate energy markets. His reference to a "New Regime President" in Iran is inaccurate, as Masoud Pezeshkian has been president since 2024.
Trump boasted that the US has degraded Iran's military capabilities and achieved "regime change," yet Iran continues missile attacks against Israel, with Bahrain and Qatar issuing warnings of Iranian strikes. Jamal Abdi, president of the National Iranian American Council, ridiculed the claim: "Trump hasn't changed the regime; he's honed it to its hardest core."
Acknowledging rising gas prices in the US (exceeding $4 per gallon), Trump blamed Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and called on Gulf oil-dependent countries to take the lead in resolving the crisis, despite the war being launched unilaterally by the US and Israel.
In a concerning escalation, Trump threatened to bomb Iran's electric grid, a move prohibited under international law. Iran has warned of retaliatory strikes against regional energy infrastructure if its power plants are targeted. Sina Azodi commented on the threat: "It means the rules-based international system is dead and there is no longer a facade."
Source: www.aljazeera.com