'Core objectives near completion': Trump speaks on Iran war in address to the nation

[0:03] Thank you very much. My fellow Americans, good evening. Let me begin by congratulating the team [0:11] at NASA and our brave astronauts on the successful launch of Artemis II. It was quite something. [0:19] It will be traveling further than any manned rocket has ever flown and will very substantially [0:25] pass the moon, go around it, and come back home from a distance that has never been done before. [0:32] It's amazing. They are on the way, and God bless them. These are brave people. [0:39] We want to God bless those four unbelievable astronauts. As we speak this evening, [0:46] it's been just one month since the United States military began Operation Epic Fury, [0:54] targeting the world's number one state sponsor of terror, Iran. In these past four weeks, [1:00] our armed forces have delivered swift, decisive, overwhelming victories, [1:06] on the battlefield. Victories like few people have ever seen before. Tonight, Iran's navy is [1:13] gone. Their air force is in ruins. Their leaders, most of them terrorist regime, are now dead. [1:26] Their command and control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is being decimated [1:32] as we speak. Their ability to launch missiles and drones is dramatically curtailed, and their [1:39] weapons, factories, and... [1:41] rocket launchers are being blown to pieces. Very few of them left. Never in the history of [1:48] warfare has an enemy suffered such clear and devastating large-scale losses in a matter of [1:53] weeks. Our enemies are losing in America, as it has been for five years under my presidency as [2:02] winning, and now winning bigger than ever before. Before discussing this current situation, I also [2:09] want to thank our troops for the masterful job they did. [2:13] We are taking the country of Venezuela in a matter of minutes. That hit was quick, lethal, violent, [2:19] and respected by everyone all over the world. After rebuilding our military during my first term, [2:27] we have by far the strongest military anywhere in the world, and now we're working along with [2:33] Venezuela and are in a true sense joint venture partners. We're getting along incredibly well [2:39] in the production and sale of massive amounts of oil and gas. The second largest reserves on [2:46] Earth after the United States of America. We're now totally independent of the Middle East, and [2:54] yet we are there to help. We don't have to be there. We don't need their oil. We don't need [2:59] anything they have, but we're there to help our allies. Tonight, I want to provide an update on [3:06] the tremendous progress our warriors have made in Iran and discuss why Operation Epic Fury is [3:12] necessary for the safety of America and the security of the free world. [3:17] From the very first day I announced my campaign for president in 2015, I have vowed that I would [3:26] never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. This fanatical regime has been chanting death to [3:34] America, death to Israel for 47 years. Their proxies were behind the murder of 241 Americans [3:43] in the Marine barracks bombing in Beirut, the slaughter of hundreds of our service [3:48] people, and the death of hundreds of our service people. [3:48] They were involved in the attack on the USS Cole, and they carried out the countless other heinous [3:58] acts, including the blood, just horrible, bloody atrocities of October 7th in Israel, [4:07] something that most people have never seen anything like it. This murderous regime also [4:12] recently killed 45,000 of their own people who were protesting in Iran, 45,000 dead. [4:20] For these terrorists to have nuclear weapons would be an intolerable threat. The most violent and [4:27] thuggish regime on earth would be free to carry out their campaigns of terror, coercion, conquest, [4:34] and mass murder from behind a nuclear shield. I will never let that happen, and neither should any [4:42] of our past presidents. This situation has been going on for 47 years and should have been handled [4:50] long before the end of the war. I will never let that happen, and neither should any of our past [4:51] presidents. This situation has been going on for 47 years and should have been handled long before the end of the war. [4:51] I arrived in office. I did many things during my two terms in office to stop the quest for [4:58] nuclear weapons by Iran first, and perhaps most importantly, I killed General Qasem Soleimani [5:06] in my first term. He was an evil genius, brilliant person, a horrible human being, however, the father [5:15] of the roadside bomb, and he lived just horrible what he did. Iran would have been perhaps in [5:24] far better, stronger position. Had he lived, we would have had probably a different conversation [5:30] tonight, but you know what? We'd still be winning and winning big. And then very importantly, I [5:35] terminated Barack Hussein Obama's Iran nuclear deal, a disaster. Obama gave them $1.7 billion [5:43] in cash, green, green cash, took it out of banks from Virginia, D.C., and Maryland, all the cash [5:51] they had. He flew it by airplanes in an attempt to buy a plane. He flew it by airplanes in an attempt [5:55] to buy their respect and loyalty, but it didn't work. They laughed at our president and went on [6:00] with their mission to have a nuclear bomb. His Iran deal would have led to a colossal arsenal [6:07] of massive nuclear weapons for Iran, and they would have had them years ago, and they would [6:13] have used them. It would have been a different world. There would have been no Middle East and [6:18] no Israel right now, in my opinion, the opinion of a lot of great experts. Had I not terminated [6:23] that terrible deal, I was so honored to do it. [6:26] I was so proud to do it. It was so bad right from the beginning. Essentially, I did what [6:31] no other president was willing to do. They made mistakes, and I am correcting them. My [6:38] first preference was always the path of diplomacy, yet the regime continued their relentless [6:45] quest for nuclear weapons and rejected every attempt at an agreement. For this reason, [6:51] in June, I ordered a strike on Iran's key nuclear facilities, an Operation Midnight [6:57] Hammer. [6:58] I was the first president to ever see anything like it. Those beautiful B-2 bombers performed [7:03] magnificently. We totally obliterated those nuclear sites. The regime then sought to rebuild [7:11] their nuclear program at a totally different location, making clear they had no intention [7:16] of abandoning their pursuit of nuclear weapons. They were also rapidly building a vast stockpile [7:23] of conventional ballistic missiles and would soon have had missiles that could reach the [7:29] American people. [7:29] The Iranian regime's strategy had long been obvious, with all its weapons harboring the [7:42] latest, the longest-range, and mostvelving bombs. [7:44] We just learned that out. We took them out. We took them all out so that no one really [7:52] would dare stop them. And they raced for a nuclear bomb, a nuclear weapon, a nuclear [7:57] weapon like nobody's ever seen before. [8:00] were right at the doorstep. [8:02] For years, everyone has said that Iran [8:05] cannot have nuclear weapons. [8:07] But in the end, those are just words [8:10] if you're not willing to take action when the time comes. [8:14] As I stated in my announcement of Operation Epic Fury, [8:19] our objectives are very simple and clear. [8:22] We are systematically dismantling the regime's [8:25] ability to threaten America or project power [8:28] outside of their borders. [8:30] That means eliminating Iran's navy, [8:32] which is now absolutely destroyed, [8:37] hurting their air force and their missile program [8:40] at levels never seen before, [8:42] and annihilating their defense industrial base. [8:45] We've done all of it. [8:46] Their navy is gone. [8:47] Their air force is gone. [8:49] Their missiles are just about used up or beaten. [8:53] Taken together, these actions will cripple Iran's military, [8:56] crush their ability to support terrorist proxies, [8:59] and deny them the ability to build [9:01] a nuclear weapon. [9:01] Nuclear bomb. [9:03] Our armed forces have been extraordinary. [9:06] There's never been anything like it militarily. [9:09] Everyone is talking about it. [9:11] And tonight, I'm pleased to say that these core strategic [9:15] objectives are nearing completion. [9:18] As we celebrate this progress, we think especially [9:22] of the 13 American warriors who have laid down [9:25] their lives in this fight to prevent our children [9:28] from ever having to face a nuclear Iran. [9:32] Twice this past month, I have traveled to Dover Air Force Base. [9:37] And it's been something. [9:39] I wanted to be with those heroes as they return to American soil. [9:44] And I was with them and their families, their parents, [9:46] their wives, their husbands. [9:49] We salute them. [9:50] And now we must honor them by completing the mission [9:54] for which they gave their lives. [9:55] And every single one of the people, their loved ones said, [9:59] please, sir, please finish the job, every one of them. [10:03] And we are going to finish the job. [10:06] And we're going to finish it very fast. [10:07] We're getting very close. [10:08] I want to thank our allies in the Middle East, Israel, [10:12] Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain. [10:19] They've been great. [10:20] And we will not let them get hurt or fail in any way, shape, [10:24] or form. [10:25] Many Americans have been concerned [10:28] to see the recent rise in gasoline prices here at home. [10:32] The short-term increase has been entirely the result. [10:35] The Iranian regime launching deranged terror attacks [10:39] against commercial oil tankers in neighboring countries [10:42] that have nothing to do with the conflict. [10:45] This is yet more proof that Iran can never [10:48] be trusted with nuclear weapons. [10:50] They will use them, and they will use them quickly. [10:53] It would lead to decades of extortion, economic pain, [10:57] and instability worse than we can ever imagine. [11:01] The United States has never been better prepared economically [11:05] to confront this threat. [11:06] You all know that we built the strongest economy in history. [11:11] We're going through it right now, the strongest in history. [11:14] In one year, we've taken a dead and crippled country. [11:18] I hate to say that, but we were a dead and crippled country [11:23] after the last administration and made it the hottest country [11:28] anywhere in the world by far with no inflation, [11:31] record-setting investments coming into the United States, [11:34] over $18 trillion. [11:36] And we're going to do it. [11:37] We're going to do it. [11:37] We're going to do it. [11:37] And the highest stock market ever, with 53 all-time record [11:41] highs in just one year. [11:44] It all positioned us to get rid of a cancer that [11:47] has long simmered. [11:48] It's known as the nuclear Iran. [11:51] And they didn't know what was coming. [11:54] They've never imagined it. [11:56] Remember, because of our Drill a Baby drill program, [11:59] America has plenty of gas. [12:00] We have so much gas. [12:02] Under my leadership, we are number one producer [12:06] of oil and gas on the planet without [12:08] even discussing the millions of barrels [12:10] that we're getting from Venezuela. [12:13] Because of the Trump administration's policies, [12:16] we produce more oil and gas than Saudi Arabia and Russia [12:19] combined. [12:20] Think of that. [12:21] Saudi Arabia and Russia combined. [12:24] And that number will soon be substantially higher than that. [12:28] There's no country like us anywhere in the world. [12:31] And we're in great shape for the future. [12:34] The United States imports almost no oil through the Hormone [12:38] Strait and won't be taking any in the future. [12:42] We don't need it. [12:43] We haven't needed it and we don't need it. [12:46] We've beaten and completely decimated Iran. [12:50] They are decimated, both militarily and economically and every other way. [12:55] And the countries of the world that do receive oil through the Hormone Strait must take care [13:01] of that passage. [13:02] They must cherish it. [13:04] They must grab it and cherish it. [13:06] They can do it easily. [13:08] We will be helpful. [13:09] Thank you. [13:10] But they should take the lead in protecting the oil that they so desperately depend on. [13:15] So to those countries that can't get fuel, many of which refuse to get involved in [13:20] the decapitation of Iran, we had to do it ourselves. [13:24] I have a suggestion, number one, buy oil from the United States of America. [13:29] We have plenty. [13:29] We have so much. [13:31] And number two, build up some delayed courage. [13:34] Should have done it before, should have done it with us as we asked. [13:37] Go to the Strait and just [13:39] Take it. Protect it. Use it for yourselves. Iran has been essentially decimated. The hard part is [13:47] done, so it should be easy. And in any event, when this conflict is over, the strait will open up [13:54] naturally. It'll just open up naturally. They're going to want to be able to sell oil because [13:58] that's all they have to try and rebuild. It will resume the flowing and the gas prices will [14:05] rapidly come back down. Stock prices will rapidly go back up. They haven't come down very much. [14:11] Frankly, they came down a little bit, but they've had some very good days over the last couple of [14:16] days. We've done actually much better than I thought, but we had to take that little journey [14:21] to Iran to get rid of this horrible threat. With our historic tax cuts, where people are just now [14:28] talking about receiving larger refunds than they ever thought possible, they are getting so much [14:34] more money than they thought. That's from the [14:36] government. That's from the [14:36] government. That's from the [14:36] great, big, beautiful bill. Our economy is strong and improving by the day, and it will soon be [14:41] roaring back like never before. It will top the levels that it was a month ago. I've made clear [14:47] from the beginning of Operation Epic Fury that we will continue until our objectives are fully [14:53] achieved. Thanks to the progress we've made, I can say tonight that we are on track to complete [14:59] all of America's military objectives shortly, very shortly. We are going to hit them [15:06] extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We're going to bring them back to the stone ages [15:12] where they belong. In the meantime, discussions are ongoing. Regime change was not our goal. We [15:19] never said regime change, but regime change has occurred because of all of their original [15:25] leaders' death. They're all dead. The new group is less radical and much more reasonable. Yet, [15:34] during this period of time, no deal is made. We're going to have to make sure that we're [15:36] going to hit each and every one of their electric generating plants very hard and probably [15:46] simultaneously. We have not hit their oil, even though that's the easiest target of all, [15:53] because it would not give them even a small chance of survival or rebuilding. But we could hit it, [16:00] and it would be gone, and there's not a thing they could do about it. They have no anti-aircraft [16:06] equipment. We have no anti-aircraft equipment. We have no anti-aircraft equipment. We have no [16:07] anti-aircraft equipment. Their radar is 100% annihilated. We are unstoppable as a military [16:13] force. The nuclear sites that we obliterated with the B-2 bombers have been hit so hard that it would [16:21] take months to get near the nuclear dust. And we have it under intense satellite surveillance and [16:28] control. If we see them make a move, even a move for it, we'll hit them with missiles very hard [16:35] again. We have all the equipment we need. We have the necessary equipment. We have the [16:37] cards. They have none. It's very important that we keep this conflict in perspective. American [16:43] involvement in World War I lasted one year, seven months, and five days. World War II lasted for [16:53] three years, eight months, and 25 days. The Korean War lasted for three years, one month, [16:59] and two days. The Vietnam War lasted for 19 years, five months, and 29 days. Iraq went on for eight [17:09] years, eight months, and 28 days. We are in this military operation so powerful, so brilliant [17:16] against one of the most powerful countries for 32 days. And the country has been eviscerated [17:25] and essentially is really no longer a threat. They were the bully of the Middle East, but they're [17:31] the bully of the Middle East. [17:31] They're the bully no longer. This is a true investment in your children and your grandchildren's [17:37] future. The whole world is watching, and they can't leave the power, strength, and brilliance. [17:44] They just can't believe what they're seeing. They leave it to your imagination, but they can't [17:50] believe what they're seeing, the brilliance of the United States military. Tonight, every American [17:56] can look forward to a day when we are finally free from the wickedness of Iranian aggression, [18:01] and the specter of nuclear blackmail. Because of the actions we have taken, we are on the cusp of [18:07] ending Iran's sinister threat to America and the world. And I'll tell you, the world is watching. [18:14] And when we do, when it's all over, the United States will be safer, stronger, more prosperous, [18:21] and greater than it has ever been before. May God bless the men and women of the United States [18:28] armed forces, and may God bless the United States. [18:31] of America. Thank you very much, and good night.