WASHINGTON, April 1 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will address the nation in a televised speech at 9 p.m. EDT (0100 GMT) on Wednesday as his administration signals it is moving toward a possible exit from the month-long war with Iran.
Trump, facing a war-wary American public and sliding approval ratings, is expected to say the U.S. military has accomplished its wartime goals, according to a White House official. He will also reiterate his plan to wind down the conflict within two to three weeks, the official said.
Trump and his advisers have offered shifting explanations and timelines for the conflict, now in its fifth week. Should he convince voters that the war is time-limited and near its end, it may help to assuage growing concerns among Americans, most of whom oppose the conflict and many of whom are upset at rising gasoline prices due to disruptions in the global oil supply.
Trump is expected to say the U.S. has destroyed Iran’s navy and its ballistic missiles and missile production facilities, while guaranteeing that Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon, the White House official said. Speaking to Reuters in an interview earlier in the day, Trump said he would also express his disgust with NATO for what he considers the alliance’s lack of support for U.S. objectives in Iran. A transatlantic rift during Trump’s second term has deepened after European allies rebuffed his request to help maintain safe passage for oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. He said he was “absolutely” considering withdrawing the U.S. from NATO, a treaty organization ratified by the U.S. Senate in 1949.
