President Donald Trump assured Wednesday that the U.S. will complete its military objectives in Iran in about “two or three weeks” and threatened the Iranian regime with blows of “extreme harshness” and “send them back to the Stone Age,” in a speech in which he did not refer to the possibility of sending troops on the ground or provide more specific details after more than a month of hostilities.
“Tonight, it is a pleasure to announce that the core strategic objectives are nearing completion,” said Trump, who also made no mention in his speech, broadcast in prime time on every television station in the country, of his disagreements with NATO for not supporting him in his joint offensive with Israel.
Trump delivers message to the nation
President Trump delivers remarks on Operation Epic Fury from the White House.
“Our enemies are losing. And America, as it has been for five years under my presidency, is winning.” – President Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/zZZ6YOaSJHZ
– The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 2, 2026
Despite the expectation about the Republican’s words on Wednesday, who had announced a major speech to update on Operation Epic Fury launched last February 28, Trump, in a televised address of less than 20 minutes, did not offer precise details on how long the war will last, whether he is considering deploying troops on Iranian soil or how to ensure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
On the contrary, Trump reiterated his message that the Islamic Republic was being “decimated” at that very moment and foresaw that the Strait of Hormuz, strategic pathway for one-fifth of the world’s oil and one-third of liquefied gas, “will open on its own” and in a “natural way” when they retreat.
“I can affirm tonight that we are on track to complete all U.S. military targets shortly; very soon we are going to hit them extremely hard. Over the course of the next two or three weeks we are going to return them to the Stone Age,” declared the president, who again threatened to attack their power plants.
The president insisted on the same messages he has been sending through social networks, public speeches or interviews in recent days, which do not make it clear when Washington wants to put an end to the operation.
“In the meantime, the talks continue,” Trump assured after stressing that regime change in Iran was not the U.S. objective in the joint offensive with Israel.
“However, there has been a regime change, since all its original leaders have died,” he said regarding the death of important Iranian government figures (including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei) and the interlocutors Washington is now dealing with, apparently parliament speaker Mohamad Baqer Qalibaf.
The Strait of Hormuz “will open by itself”.
WE ARE ON-TRACK TO COMPLETE ALL OF AMERICA’S MILITARY OBJECTIVES SHORTLY. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/qTx8ragALk
– The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 2, 2026
On the Strait of Hormuz, the main Achilles heel of the operation, Trump considered that it will open naturally because, he assured, the complicated part “is already over”.
“Once this conflict is over, the flow will naturally re-establish itself. It will just open up on its own. They will want to have the possibility to sell oil, because it is the only thing they have to try to rebuild their country. The flow will resume, as well as the gas supply,” he said.
Trump, who knows the impact of election-year fuel prices, acknowledged that “many Americans are concerned to see the recent rise in gasoline prices” and asserted, “this short-term increase has been entirely the result of the Iranian regime launching terrorist attacks” against oil tankers, something that proves that Iran should never have nuclear weapons, in his opinion.
No explicit mention of NATO
Clear objectives since day one. pic.twitter.com/mFp1DGp1J7
– The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 1, 2026
The words come after the president threatened this Wednesday in two different interviews to leave NATO after the refusal of its allies to collaborate in the war, something to which he has not made direct reference either.
In his message to the nation, Trump had words of thanks for Israel and its Gulf allies, but charged against those countries that have been unwilling to support the war or send military assets to protect maritime traffic in Hormuz, although he was somewhat less crude than in previous days and avoided mentioning the Atlantic Alliance in his speech.
“To those countries that do not manage to get fuel – many of which refuse to get involved in the decapitation of Iran – we have had to do it ourselves,” he said.
“I have a suggestion. Number one: buy oil from the U.S. We have plenty. We have plenty. And number two: get that courage together that you’ve been putting off. You should have done it earlier. You should have done it together with us, as we asked you to do: go to the strait, just take it, protect it, and use it for yourselves. Iran has been, in essence, decimated,” he added.
Filed under: Trump message to the Nation
With information from EFE
