Trump warns of Iran threat in State of the Union address amid military crackdown – National
US President Donald Trump outlined his case for attacking Iran in his State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday, saying he will not allow the world’s biggest sponsor of terrorism to have a nuclear weapon.
Even as he mobilizes the largest military force in the Middle East, Trump has done little to explain to the American public why he might lead the US in its most brutal action against the Islamic Republic since its 1979 uprising.
In his speech, Trump pointed to Tehran’s support for militant groups, its killing of protesters and the country’s missile and nuclear programs as threats to the region and the country.
United States.
“The (Iranian) regime and its murderous proxies spread nothing but terrorism and death and hatred,” the Republican president said about 90 minutes into his annual address to a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
He accused Iran of restarting its nuclear program, working to build missiles that could “soon” reach the United States and being responsible for roadside bombings that have killed US service members and civilians.
Iranian media said Tehran is developing a missile capable of reaching North America.
The preparation for Trump’s speech overshadowed the US military build-up in the Middle East and preparations for a possible conflict with Iran that could last for weeks if Tehran does not reach a deal to resolve the long-running dispute over its nuclear program.
Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration with the failure of negotiations to reach an agreement. “They want to make a deal, but we’ve never heard those secret words, ‘We’ll never have a nuclear weapon,'” Trump said in his speech.
Iran says its nuclear research is for civilian energy production.
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Trump has also blamed the Tehran government for the deaths of thousands of protesters in recent anti-government protests, although the specific number he cited – that 32,000 people were killed – is much higher than most public estimates.
“What is being said about Iran’s nuclear program, Iran’s ballistic missile program, and the number of people killed in the January riots is nothing but the repetition of a series of big lies,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said in a post to X on Wednesday.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a briefing on Iran hours before Congress’ “Gang of Eight” speech – made up of the leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives and the two chambers’ intelligence committees.
“First and foremost, if they want to do something in Iran – and who the hell knows what it is – they should do it publicly and discuss it with the public and not keep it in secret. If you do these military operations in secret, it always leads to longer wars, more misery, more costs and mistakes,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer told a press conference shortly before it was scheduled.
Advisers have urged Trump to focus on the economy, immigration and other domestic policy issues, and he devoted much of his nearly two-hour speech to such topics.
Trump and his fellow Republicans rose to the top of US politics with the enthusiastic support of a political base that embraced his “America First” policies and vow to end the era of “perpetual wars” such as the protracted conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But opinion polls show the party will struggle to control Congress in November’s midterm elections. Polls also show Americans are wary of foreign conflicts. A January Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that 69 percent of Americans agreed with the statement that the US should only use its military when faced with a direct and imminent threat, while 18 percent disagreed and others were unsure or did not answer the question.
Trump ordered strikes on Iran last year, saying in July that they had “destroyed” the country’s nuclear facilities. His aides say that recently Iran has come very close to having the ability to make nuclear bombs.
Trump addressed the issue in a speech on Tuesday, saying, “They (Iran’s leaders) want to start over, and, right now, they’re pursuing their evil ambitions.”
Trump said he prefers to make peace, citing a number of international conflicts that he takes credit for ending, or easing.
“As president, I will make peace wherever I can, but I will never hesitate to deal with threats against America wherever I have to,” Trump said.
Trump also defended his immigration and global tax policies during his historic State of the Union address on Tuesday night.
In this 108-minute speech, the president touted his sweeping policy changes on immigration, the economy and foreign policy at a critical time for the Republican Party. Polls have shown that issues that should be Trump’s strengths — such as immigration and jobs — are growing in popularity among independent voters who could play a key role in the upcoming midterm elections.
Republican members of Congress appeared united during the speech, standing up to applaud the president and chanting “USA” repeatedly throughout the speech.
Trump’s speech offered few details on future policy, instead relying on his claims that the economy is improving and prices are falling, despite what Americans may hear on a daily basis.
Trump’s comments are also unlikely to bring certainty to countries and companies that have been hoping for a trade recovery after the US Supreme Court last week ruled against Trump’s favorite tax tool.
– With files from The Canadian Press
