President Donald Trump delivered an address from the White House on April 1, 2026, regarding the ongoing conflict with Iran. He stated that U.S. objectives in the conflict are “nearing completion.”

Initial Strikes and Iranian Response

The White House previously announced that President Trump would provide an “important update” on the situation in Iran. “Major combat operations” against Iran began on February 28th, involving joint U.S.-Israeli strikes targeting military and government sites.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reportedly killed during the initial strikes in Tehran, with his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, subsequently chosen as his successor. Iran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks directed at Israel, U.S. bases in the region, and several Gulf nations. Iran is also attempting to impede shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Escalating Regional Tensions

Israel is simultaneously intensifying its ongoing campaign against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon. Ground operations in southern Lebanon are also being expanded.

Addressing Rising Gas Prices

President Trump addressed concerns about soaring gas prices, attributing the increases to the ongoing war. He emphasized the strength of the U.S. economy and the nation’s domestic oil production.

Trump asserted that the U.S. produces more oil and gas than Saudi Arabia and Russia combined, citing the country’s position as the world’s leading oil producer in 2025 with over 13 million barrels per day. Russia and Saudi Arabia produced over 9.5 million barrels per day each. U.S. gas prices recently surpassed $4 a gallon, a level not seen since 2022.

Future Actions and Timeline

President Trump stated the U.S. will “hit Iran extremely hard” over the next two weeks. His nearly 20-minute address largely reiterated previous statements, offering limited new details about the operation or a definitive end date for the conflict.

To encourage patience, the President referenced the duration of past U.S. military engagements, including World War I (1 year, 7 months, 5 days), World War II (3 years, 8 months, 25 days), Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq. He contrasted these with the current 32-day action in Iran, which he described as “so powerful, so brilliant” that Iran is “really no longer a threat.”

Strait of Hormuz Blockade

Regarding the disruptions to trade caused by the partial blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump suggested that affected countries either purchase oil from the U.S. or “build up some delayed courage” and “protect” the waterway themselves. He stated, “Iran has been essentially decimated. The hard part is done, so it should be easy.”

He also predicted that the strait would “just open up naturally” once the conflict concludes.