Trump Prepares to Declare Iran Conflict Phasing Out Amid Economic Concerns
President Donald Trump is set to address the nation in a primetime speech on Wednesday night, announcing that the conflict in Iran is nearing its end. This announcement comes at a time when oil prices are surging and Trump’s poll ratings are declining significantly.
According to sources who spoke to POLITICO under anonymity, Trump has been preparing the public for this announcement through various channels, including interviews and social media. The speech is anticipated to highlight the fulfillment of military goals, although Trump is expected to criticize NATO allies for not addressing Iran’s restriction of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Steve Bannon, former White House chief strategist, indicated that Trump will frame the situation as a victory, saying, “Two, three weeks, definable objectives. ‘I came, I saw, I conquered’ — and we are hanging around a couple of weeks to conquer some more — maybe even then a ceasefire, while reiterating that the Hormuz situation is the Gulf Emirates’ and the Europeans’ to solve, and declare victory.”
This major address by the president is also seen as an effort to calm voter concerns and address the financial market’s worries about energy prices and the economic impacts of the strait’s closure.
Trump’s speech will further clarify his war strategy, declaring what constitutes victory and how he plans to proceed if ceasefire negotiations falter. Given the war’s unpopularity, this is a challenging task for Trump, who is more accustomed to unscripted interactions. “It needs to be very direct because he’s not just communicating with the American people but the Iranians, our allies in the region, and our allies in Europe,” a source familiar with the speech’s planning stated.
Despite Trump’s optimistic public statements about progress in indirect talks with Iran, there is little evidence of an imminent agreement. In a social media post, Trump claimed Iran “has asked…for a CEASEFIRE!” but noted that any acceptance would depend on the Strait of Hormuz being “open, free, and clear.”
As the conflict persists, Trump’s desire to find an exit strategy has become evident. Despite considering using military force to open the strait, he has increasingly blamed European allies for their lack of action. On Tuesday, Trump urged Europe to “build up some delayed courage” and independently secure their oil supplies. This was followed by threats to withdraw from NATO, criticizing it as a “paper tiger” in an interview with The Telegraph.
Unnamed White House sources describe Trump’s frustration over European countries, such as Italy and the UK, refusing to allow US forces to utilize their bases. Trump’s growing anger is said to be “very real,” according to a senior official. Despite more than 20 countries pledging to secure the Strait of Hormuz post-conflict, European actions such as Italy’s recent denial for US aircraft operations have strained relations.
During a call with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Trump reportedly expressed frustration over Europe’s lack of support, though Stubb reassured him about an increasingly European-led NATO. European leaders seem unfazed by Trump’s rhetoric, with a senior EU official stating, “Nobody is buying the narrative he’s trying on Iran.”
Trump’s suggested withdrawal from NATO is perceived as a shift in US security policy, focusing more on economic and political concessions rather than shared ideology and values. “The United States will no longer protect its allies through a common ideology and values — only for money, economic, and political concessions,” a senior non-NATO European official commented.
Contributions to this report were made by Veronika Melkozerova and Ben Lefebvre.
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