The speech will be an update on progress toward achieving Trump’s goals in Iran, including missile production and a guarantee Iran doesn’t obtain a nuclear weapon.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is set to deliver a prime-time address Wednesday night as the war in Iran continues to escalate and raise concerns at home and abroad.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the address Tuesday night, saying Trump will provide “an important update on Iran.” The speech comes as the president weighs next steps in the conflict.
The president’s prime-time address will offer an update on U.S. progress toward achieving his goals in Iran, according to a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly ahead of the address.
The official said those goals are to destroy Iran’s missile production, destroy its Navy, ensure its proxies can no longer destabilize the region, and guarantee Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. Trump is also expected to reiterate his estimated timeline of concluding operations within two to three weeks.
Trump on Wednesday claimed Iran’s president wanted a ceasefire ahead of his speech to the American people. Trump made the claim on his Truth Social website. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Trump’s remarks were “false and baseless.”
The president has said one of his primary goals of the war was to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and he told Reuters on Wednesday that has been achieved, though it isn’t clear how.
Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium that could potentially be used to build nuclear weapons is believed to be buried under the rubble of a mountain facility that was hit during strikes last June — and that hasn’t changed since the war with Iran began this year. Trump has said the United States would move to take the uranium if it reaches a deal with Iran.
But he said Wednesday that the uranium is “so far underground, I don’t care about that.”
“We’ll always be watching it by satellite,” he said.
Trump also said Iran is now “incapable” of developing a nuclear weapon.
The conflict has intensified in recent days, with the U.S. and Israel launching new strikes on Tehran. Iran has responded with fewer missiles but continues deploying low-flying drones that are harder to intercept. More than 3,000 people have been killed in the region, and millions have been displaced in Lebanon and Iran.
The war is also impacting Americans at home. Gas prices rose above $4 per gallon earlier this week for the first time since 2022, with analysts warning higher fuel costs could drive up prices for goods and travel.
Since the conflict began, 13 U.S. service members have been killed and 348 wounded, including six seriously, according to U.S. Central Command.
How to watch Trump’s address on the Iran war
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