Trump to address the nation with ‘important’ Iran war update

President Donald Trump will address the nation Wednesday night to deliver an “important update” on the war in Iran, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on social media.

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Leavitt did not provide more details about what Trump is expected to say. His remarks are scheduled for 9 p.m. ET.

Trump discussed the war in a phone interview with NBC News on Tuesday morning, saying that “we’re doing great” and that the conflict is “coming to an end.” He later told reporters that he expects the U.S. to “leave” Iran within two or three weeks, adding that Iran does not have to make a deal with the U.S. for the war to end.

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Still, that came a day after Trump said that the U.S. was negotiating with Iran and that there had been progress, while he also threatened Iranian infrastructure if a deal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz was not reached. Iran has said there are no negotiations with the U.S.

The war is entering its second month. Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed and nearly 350 have been injured since U.S.-Israeli strikes began Feb. 28, according to a U.S. official familiar with the operations.

NBC News reported this month that Trump has repeatedly been offered off-ramps to the war but has turned them all down.

In the U.S., consumers are feeling the financial burn of the conflict. The average price of a gallon of gas exceeded $4 Tuesday, hitting its highest level since 2022, as Iran continues to clamp down on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes.

Americans have expressed their anger over high oil prices, with polls showing voters are dissatisfied with Trump’s handling of the economy.

Trump’s last prime-time address to the nation was in December, when he defended his record on the economy.