Trump addresses the Nation: “Iran has been decimated, objectives are nearly achieved”
In a primetime speech addressed directly to the American people, Donald Trump offered a status report on one month of Operation Epic Fury. Speaking from the White House with a triumphalist tone, the President claimed military results he described as unprecedented in the history of modern warfare.
“The Iranian navy no longer exists”
“Over these past four weeks, our armed forces have achieved swift, decisive, and overwhelming victories on the battlefield, victories the likes of which few have ever seen,” the President declared. The picture painted by Trump was one of a militarily annihilated adversary: the Iranian Navy has “vanished,” the Air Force is “in ruins,” and much of the regime’s leadership is “dead.” The control of the Pasdaran, he added, is “undergoing decimation,” while the capacity to launch missiles and drones has been “drastically reduced.”
“Never in the history of warfare has an enemy suffered such clear and devastating losses in the span of just a few weeks,” Trump affirmed.
The nuclear factor: the driving force
At the heart of the speech was the nuclear issue, presented as the ultimate justification for the intervention. Trump recalled the killing of General Qasem Soleimani during his first term and his dismantling of the Obama-era nuclear deal, prior to ordering the June raids on key Iranian nuclear facilities as part of Operation Midnight Hammer. When the regime attempted to rebuild the program at alternative sites, he explained, the definitive response was triggered.
“For years, everyone has said that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons, but in the end, those are just words if you aren’t willing to act when the moment arrives,” the President said.
Gas prices and an appeal to allies
Trump also addressed the rise in gasoline prices in the United States, attributing it to Iranian “terrorist attacks” against tankers in the Gulf. “This is further proof that Iran can never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons,” he emphasized.
He then delivered a direct jab at countries that did not participate in the operation and are now facing energy supply difficulties: “I have a suggestion: buy oil from the United States, we have plenty of it. And secondly, find some courage. Go to the Strait and take what you need. Iran has been essentially decimated. The hard part is done.”
“Two or three weeks and we close”
Trump concluded with both a promise and a warning. Military operations will continue with intensity for the next two to three weeks, after which all American objectives will be met. He paid tribute to the thirteen American soldiers killed in the conflict, pledging to complete the mission in their honor.
“Tonight, every American can look forward to a day when we will finally be free from the evil of Iranian aggression and the specter of nuclear blackmail. We are on the verge of ending Iran’s threat to America and the world,” the President concluded.
Photo whitehouse.gov
