WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump will deliver a primetime address from the White House on April 1 to update the nation on the U.S. military operation against Iran, after indicating that it will conclude within 2–3 weeks.
The speech, set to air at 9 p.m. ET, comes at a critical time, as the conflict in the Middle East enters its second month and concerns grow over a potential ground troop invasion.
“President Trump will give an operational update on the progress of Operation Epic Fury, which is meeting or exceeding all of its benchmarks,” a White House official told The Epoch Times.
“He is expected to reiterate the 2–3-week timetable for concluding the operation that he stated yesterday.”
Trump is expected to outline the operation’s objectives from the beginning: to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile systems and production facilities, neutralize its navy, cut off support for terrorist proxies, and prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
“That’s not for us. That will be for France. That will be for whoever is using the strait,” he told reporters.
Investors saw his statements as a positive sign that the war is ending soon. On April 1, stocks rallied, and oil prices eased. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 200 points. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures, a benchmark for North American crude oil prices, fell by 1.24 percent to settle at $100.12 per barrel.
Since the start of the military campaign, U.S. forces have struck more than 11,000 targets.
Hours before his address, Trump said on Truth Social that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wants a ceasefire deal, but will not consider it until the standoff in the Hormuz Strait is settled.
“Iran’s New Regime President, much less Radicalized and far more intelligent than his predecessors, has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE!” Trump wrote.
“We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also released a video message on April 1, explaining the reasons for the country’s war with Iran.
“We were on the verge of an Iran that had so many missiles and so many drones that no one could do anything about their nuclear weapons program in the future—that was an intolerable risk,” Rubio said.
“This was our last best chance to eliminate that conventional threat, that conventional shield that they were trying to build, and the President made the right decision to wipe it out.”
Trump is also expected to address growing concerns about rising fuel prices at home as Iran’s threats to block the Strait of Hormuz sent shockwaves through global supply chains.
According to the American Automobile Association, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is now $4.06, over a dollar more expensive than it was a month ago.
In an interview with Reuters on April 1, Trump said that U.S. forces will be “out of Iran pretty quickly” and could return for “spot hits” if necessary. Trump also said he would speak about the lack of support from NATO allies.
“They haven’t been friends when we needed them,” Trump told Reuters, adding that he is considering withdrawing the United States from the alliance.
Ryan Morgan contributed to this report.
