Former U.S. President Donald Trump used a prime-time address to declare the month-long war with Iran a success “nearing completion,” despite a spiraling conflict that has caused global economic turmoil, fractured transatlantic alliances, and eroded his approval ratings. In a 19-minute speech from the White House, Trump argued that the U.S.’s “little journey” to Iran had nearly accomplished “all of America’s military objectives,” but offered little clarity on how he plans to wind down the conflict over the next “two to three weeks.”
Trump claimed, “We are on the cusp of ending Iran’s sinister threat to America and the world,” adding, “We have all the cards. They have none.” Acknowledging the economic pain caused by the conflict, he blamed a “short-term” rise in gas prices on Iran’s actions and insisted the U.S. had become energy independent. However, oil prices rose and Asian stocks traded lower immediately after his address, as investors remained concerned about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil chokepoint.
Democrats criticized Trump’s address as “incoherent” and failing to answer “the most basic questions the American people” have. Democratic Senator Mark Warner stated that Trump owed Americans more answers about a conflict that has driven up prices on gas and other essentials, “with consequences that will continue to ripple through the economy for a long time.” Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, said, “No one in America, after listening to that speech, knows whether we are escalating or deescalating.” Republican Senator Ted Cruz backed Trump, while former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said all she heard was “war” and “nothing” to lower living costs.
The war continues to grind on, with thousands of deaths in Iran and across the Middle East. According to estimates from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, at least 1,900 people have been killed and 20,000 injured in Iran since the war began, though precise figures are difficult to verify. In Lebanon, more than 1,300 people have been killed, most of them Lebanese civilians. In Israel, 19 people have been killed and 515 injured. At least 13 U.S. service members have been killed.
The Trump administration has sent mixed and contradictory signals about U.S. objectives. Trump has repeatedly claimed that Iran’s leadership was seeking a ceasefire, which Tehran called “false and baseless.” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian appealed directly to the American people, asking, “Exactly which of the American people’s interests are truly being served by this war?” and suggesting the U.S. entered the war at Israel’s urging. Trump has also lashed out at U.S. allies for refusing to join the war effort and inaction on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, stating he is “absolutely without question” considering withdrawing from NATO.
Source: www.theguardian.com