Amid the largest deployment of ships and aircraft carriers in the region in two decades, the president stated that, while he will seek peace, he will "never allow the world's leading sponsor of terrorism to have a nuclear weapon." This declaration was met with cheers and chants of "USA, USA" from the lawmakers present.
Trump praised the "Midnight Operation" of June 2025, a raid on Iranian soil that allegedly destroyed the regime's atomic program. However, he denounced that the ayatollahs are pursuing "sinister ambitions" to rebuild said weaponry and are developing missiles capable of threatening Europe and U.S. bases. The president hardened his stance by accusing the regime of killing 32,000 protesters during recent civil unrest and recalled the elimination of Soleimani as a milestone of his first term to deter bomb attacks against U.S. troops.
The likelihood of a military conflict seems to be gaining strength following leaks of high-level meetings between Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the CIA director, and the "Gang of 8" in Congress. Options range from surgical strikes to a campaign of long-range bombings. Despite the troop buildup, experts and opponents point out the lack of a clear justification for why now is the time to launch another war in the Middle East.
From the Democratic side, figures like Chuck Schumer and Mark Warner have expressed deep concern about the seriousness of the situation, urging the president to clearly define national objectives before taking action. However, Trump has conditioned any pause in the escalation on hearing the "magic words" from Tehran: a total and absolute renunciation of any nuclear aspirations.