Trump Addresses Nation on Iran Conflict and Threatens Withdrawal from NATO Alliance

Donald Trump delivered his first formal address to the nation on Wednesday evening regarding the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, hours after claiming on his Truth Social network that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had requested a ceasefire — a claim Tehran swiftly and flatly denied. The speech, scheduled for 9:00 p.m. at the White House (01:00 GMT Thursday), came as the conflict entered its fifth week, with Trump promising what White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described as "important new information on the situation in Iran." A senior White House official told AFP that Trump would "emphasize that the American military has achieved all the objectives set before the operation" and "reaffirm that the goal is to conclude the operation in two to three weeks." The address marked a shift in tone from the announcement of the war itself, which Trump had delivered via an informal video recorded at his Florida residence, wearing a cap and no tie. The conflict, launched under the name Operation Epic Fury on February 28, has caused thousands of deaths, rattled global energy markets, and weighed on Trump's domestic approval ratings ahead of midterm elections.

Ceasefire claim denied, Hormuz the sticking point Trump posted on Truth Social that Pezeshkian "just asked for a CEASEFIRE," but immediately conditioned any truce on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that Iran would otherwise be bombed "to oblivion." Iranian diplomatic spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei dismissed the ceasefire claim as "false," according to Iranian state television. Pezeshkian had said on Tuesday that he wanted "to end" the war, but attached conditions including security guarantees and financial compensation. The Revolutionary Guards reaffirmed on Wednesday that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed to Iran's "enemies," and confirmed striking an oil tanker in the Gulf, which Qatar said was chartered by QatarEnergy and hit in its territorial waters. Iranian missiles and drones also struck a reservoir in the Kuwait City airport zone. The International Energy Agency warned on April 1 that global oil and gas supplies would be affected "twice as hard" in April as in March due to the ongoing disruption.

The U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran began on February 28, 2026, with strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was appointed Supreme Leader on March 9, 2026. The operation was framed by Washington as targeting Iran's nuclear and ballistic capabilities. At the outset, Trump predicted the conflict would last four to six weeks. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has been involved in contacts with Iranian officials, though Tehran has characterized these exchanges as falling short of genuine negotiations.

Trump hints at NATO exit, calls alliance a 'paper tiger' Alongside the Iran address, Trump escalated a parallel confrontation with NATO, telling the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph that he had moved beyond merely reconsidering U.S. membership in the alliance. "I have never been influenced by NATO. I have always known it was a paper tiger, and Putin knows it too, for that matter," Trump told the Telegraph, adding that when asked if he was considering leaving, he replied: "Oh yes, I would even say it goes beyond a simple questioning." Trump framed the NATO dispute partly around the alliance's failure to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, accusing European members of ignoring his call to form a coalition. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth declined to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to NATO's Article 5 collective defense clause. Trump's constitutional authority to unilaterally withdraw from NATO remains legally unclear, according to reporting by SudOuest. The United Arab Emirates separately proposed on Wednesday to join American and Israeli forces to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, which would make it the first Gulf state to engage militarily against Iran in the current conflict.

„I have never been influenced by NATO. I have always known it was a paper tiger, and Putin knows it too, for that matter.” — Donald Trump via La Libre.be

Markets rebound, but energy fears persist into April European markets rebounded midday on Wednesday, buoyed by hopes of de-escalation following Trump's remarks on Tuesday about ending the conflict within weeks, and a barrel of Brent crude fell back below the $100 mark. However, the quasi-closure of the Strait of Hormuz has already driven a sustained surge in oil prices, feeding fears of lasting inflation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the U.S. could see the "finish line" in the war. Trump told Reuters on Wednesday that the United States would "withdraw fairly quickly" but reserved the right to conduct future one-off strikes, saying: "If we have to do it, we will return to carry out one-off strikes." He also asserted that Iran would "not have a nuclear weapon, because they are now incapable." The United Kingdom announced it was convening a virtual meeting of approximately 30 countries later in the week to coordinate efforts to restore maritime transport through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, for his part, told U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff's interlocutors that "trust is zero," underscoring the distance between the two sides despite the flurry of signals from Washington.

„If we have to do it, we will return to carry out one-off strikes.” — Donald Trump via LExpress.fr

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