President Donald Trump told the nation Wednesday night that the U.S. military campaign against Iran is nearing completion, but he warned that American forces would deliver “extremely hard” blows over the next two to three weeks if no deal is reached.
In a prime-time address from the White House that lasted less than 20 minutes, Trump described Operation Epic Fury as having already achieved major successes against what he called Iran’s “evil regime.”
Trump said the conflict, launched on February 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would not drag on much longer.
“Tonight, I’m pleased to say that the core strategic objectives are nearing completion,” Trump said, adding, “We’re going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks.”
Trump noted that “discussions are ongoing” with Iranian officials, though he offered no details. The President also made no mention of sending ground troops or specific plans to secure Iran’s nuclear material or reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has been closed since the fighting began and has driven up global oil prices.
Trump touted what he called swift victories.
“Tonight, Iran’s navy is gone. Their air force is in ruins. Their leaders, most of them terrorists, the regime they led, are now dead,” he said. “Their command and control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is being decimated as we speak. Their ability to launch missiles and drones is dramatically curtailed, and their weapons factories and rocket launchers are being blown to pieces. Very few of them left.”
Hrump blamed Iran for the surge in U.S. gasoline prices, which topped $4 a gallon for the first time since 2022.
“Many Americans have been concerned to see the recent rise in gasoline prices here at home,” Trump said. “This short-term increase has been entirely the result of the Iranian regime launching deranged terror attacks against commercial oil tankers and neighboring countries that have nothing to do with the conflict.”
The President insisted the United States does not need Middle East oil.
“We’re now totally independent of the Middle East, and yet we are there to help,” Trump said. “We don’t have to be there. We don’t need their oil. We don’t need anything they have. We’re there to help our allies.”
Markets reacted sharply to the speech. U.S. crude oil rose above $100 a barrel during the address, closing at $102.36, up 2.24%. Brent crude gained 3.24% to $104.44. Stock futures tumbled, with Dow Jones Industrial Average futures sliding more than 260 points. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.4%, South Korea’s Kospi dropped 2.82%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index opened 0.5% lower.
Trump also claimed that an Iranian crackdown on its citizens before the current conflict killed 45,000 people, a figure higher than previous estimates from outlets such as The Guardian.
The administration’s stated objectives have shifted slightly since the war’s early days. Initially focused on destroying Iran’s missile arsenal, eliminating its navy, preventing a nuclear weapon, and ending support for terrorist proxies, the goals are now described as destroying weapons factories, the navy, the air force, and any chance of a nuclear weapon, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
President Trump delivered a powerful speech tonight. He was clear about our objectives in Iran:
• Destroy their weapons factories
• Destroy their navy
• Destroy their air force
• Destroy their chances of ever having a nuclear weaponThe President’s leadership sends a…
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) April 2, 2026
Republican lawmakers largely praised the address. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina called it “the best speech I could’ve hoped for” on X and said it showed the U.S. is “2-3 weeks from reaching our military objectives, which is the destruction of Iran’s missile and nuclear weapon programs.” He highlighted Trump’s vow to destroy the regime’s economy so “they will never go back to their old ways.”
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas agreed, writing that the U.S. was “on the cusp of ending Iran’s nuclear blackmail” and that “Operation Epic Fury is an investment in the future of our children and our grandchildren.”
President Trump was exactly right tonight.
Operation Epic Fury is an investment in the future of our children and our grandchildren.
We are on the cusp of ending Iran’s nuclear blackmail — that makes America much, much safer. pic.twitter.com/KsZwKvOxRd
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) April 2, 2026
Democrats were critical. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York called the speech “rambling, disjointed, and pathetic” and asked if there had “ever been a more rambling, disjointed, and pathetic presidential war speech?” He said Trump’s actions in Iran would rank as “one of the greatest policy blunders in the history of our country” for failing to articulate objectives and ignoring domestic economic pain.
Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said the address “did little to answer the most basic questions the American people deserve” about a “costly and dangerous conflict.” He pointed to rising prices for gas, diesel, fertilizer, and aluminum, the continued threat from Iran’s ballistic missiles, the closed Strait of Hormuz, and the deaths of 13 U.S. service members.
“We owe them, their families, and every man and woman in uniform clarity, accountability, and a strategy worthy of their sacrifice,” Warner said.
Trump closed by saying the U.S. would emerge stronger.
“When it’s all over, the United States will be safer, stronger, more prosperous, and greater than it has ever been before,” Trump said. “May God bless the men and women of the United States Armed Forces, and may God bless the United States of America. Thank you very much, and good night.”
