Trump Defends U.S.-Israel War on Iran in Prime-Time Address as Public Support Wanes

President Donald Trump took to prime-time television Wednesday night to defend the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran, now entering its second month. In a 19-minute White House address, Trump claimed significant military progress while simultaneously issuing fresh threats — a combination that left markets unsettled and many Americans unconvinced.

Trump asserted that U.S. forces had dismantled Iran's navy, air force, and ballistic missile capabilities, with nuclear infrastructure largely neutralized. He indicated that operations would continue at high intensity for another two to three weeks, though he declined to offer a concrete end date — a gap in clarity that analysts say undermines confidence both at home and in global markets. Following the speech, oil prices climbed, stocks slipped, and the dollar strengthened, reflecting investor anxiety over the conflict's uncertain trajectory.

A central flashpoint remains the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway controlling roughly one-fifth of global oil and gas shipments. Iran's continued grip on the strait has triggered an unprecedented energy shock worldwide. Trump deflected responsibility for reopening it, urging oil-dependent nations to take the lead — though Western allies, excluded from pre-war consultations, have shown little appetite for involvement.

On Iran's nuclear stockpile, Trump reversed his earlier demand for a handover, stating the deeply buried uranium was now being monitored by satellite. Critics noted that Iran's government, despite losing senior leaders including Supreme Leader Khamenei, remains functionally intact under harder-line successors.

The political cost at home is mounting. Trump's approval rating has dropped to 36%, its lowest since his return to office, driven largely by surging gasoline prices and public unease over a large-scale military engagement — one that contradicts his campaign pledges to avoid foreign entanglements. With midterm elections approaching, Republican lawmakers face growing pressure as economic frustration builds among voters.