Trump to address nation Thursday amid Iran military escalation

President Donald Trump announced he will address the nation Thursday night, as military operations and tensions with Iran escalate. Trump confirmed the speech on his Truth Social platform, stating, "President Trump will be addressing the nation this Thursday at 9:00 PM EST (1:00 AM GMT Friday). Thank you for your attention!"

The White House has not formally disclosed the speech's content. The announcement came hours after Trump unilaterally reinstated a maritime blockade against Iranian vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz. As part of this strategy, Washington will demand a 20% fee on the value of commercial cargo for armed protection provided by U.S. naval forces to third-country vessels passing through the vital strait, which handles one-fifth of the global crude oil supply.

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President Trump will be addressing the nation this Thursday at 9:00 PM EST (1:00 AM GMT Friday). Thank you for your attention!

This hardening of the U.S. stance follows recent exchanges of fire between U.S. and Iranian forces in the Persian Gulf. These military actions marked a definitive breach of the temporary ceasefire established in a June 17, 2026, agreement, which had momentarily paused the confrontation in the Middle East.

Iran's Armed Forces command responded to Trump's declarations with a stern warning. Through official channels on Monday, Iranian military spokespeople stated, "Under no circumstances will we allow the United States to interfere in the management of the Strait of Hormuz." This statement directly addressed Washington's announcements of a blockade and tariff collection.

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Under no circumstances will we allow the United States to interfere in the management of the Strait of Hormuz.