The White House has declared the conflict with Iran “terminated,” despite President Trump’s earlier threats to “blast the hell out of them.” In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, the President stated, “The hostilities that began on Saturday, Feb. 28 have terminated,” effectively circumventing a 60-day deadline that required congressional approval to continue the conflict.
Despite this declaration, President Trump maintained that “the threat posed by Iran to the United States and our Armed Forces remains significant.” He had previously expressed dissatisfaction with Iran’s peace proposals, outlining options to either “blast them away or make a deal.” In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi indicated Tehran’s readiness for diplomacy, provided the US altered its “excessive demands, threatening rhetoric, and provocative actions.”
Amidst these developments, the Pentagon estimated that the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has cost Iran $4.8 billion in lost oil revenue. Acting Pentagon Press Secretary Joel Valdez affirmed the blockade’s “decisive impact” in hindering Iran’s ability to fund terrorism.
During recent public appearances, Trump made several notable remarks. He joked about the US “taking over” Cuba “almost immediately” after the Iran war, suggesting a military detour on the way back from the Middle East. He also claimed that the US military had destroyed “85 percent” of Iran’s missile manufacturing capacity and “most” of its drone capacity. Trump asserted that the US could leave Iran “today” but desired to “do it totally right.” He likened the US military to “pirates” after describing the seizure of an Iranian cargo ship bypassing the blockade. Contradicting reality, Trump claimed Iran was the “only country” where no one wanted to be a leader, despite Masoud Pezeshkian serving as its president since 2024. He also reiterated the imperative that “you cannot give Iran a nuclear weapon,” warning of its potential use against Israel and Europe. The ongoing conflict has even reportedly impacted Saudi Arabia, with its only official liquor store experiencing supply shortages due to war-related shipping bottlenecks.
#IranUSConflict #TrumpAdministration #WhiteHouse #MiddleEast #StraitOfHormuz #IranDiplomacy #MilitaryAction #USForeignPolicy #GlobalSecurity #WarPowers
