U.S. President Donald Trump continues to share his messages across various platforms ahead of his upcoming address to the nation.
Speaking to Reuters, Trump commented on the Iran war, stating, “Iran will not have nuclear weapons, nor do they want them.” He also claimed that a “complete regime change” had taken place in Iran.
Earlier in the day, Trump also addressed the issue of a potential U.S. withdrawal from Iran, telling Reuters, “We will leave Iran very quickly,” although he did not specify a timeline this time. The U.S. President added, “We still have a few targets left; if necessary, we will return for precision strikes.”
Trump said that during his address to the nation tonight, he would express his “disgust with NATO” and revealed that he is seriously considering withdrawing the United States from the alliance.
Leader of New Regime in Iran Requests Ceasefire
Before speaking to Reuters, Trump also shared a message on Truth Social, claiming that the leader of Iran’s new regime had requested a ceasefire from the United States.
In his statement, Trump said, “We will consider the request when the Strait of Hormuz is opened. Until then, we will devastate Iran and reduce it to the Stone Age.”
“I Always Knew NATO Was a Paper Tiger”
The U.S. President also spoke to the British newspaper The Telegraph, where he criticized NATO and said he is seriously considering withdrawing the U.S. from the alliance.
“I always knew NATO was a paper tiger,” Trump said.
Trump emphasized that he is strongly evaluating pulling the United States out of NATO due to the alliance’s lack of participation in the war against Iran. He described the issue of withdrawal as going “beyond reconsideration” and labeled the military alliance a “paper tiger.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also supported Trump’s stance, criticizing NATO for not granting access to military bases and describing the alliance as a “one-way street,” adding that the relationship should be reassessed after the conflict in Iran ends.
Trump also reacted to what he described as NATO allies’ reluctance to ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz, which is critical for global oil supply. He noted that the U.S. automatically supports its allies in crises such as Ukraine but does not receive the same level of support in return.
Reaction from Within NATO
French military officials responded to Trump’s remarks about potentially leaving NATO. One official stated that NATO is a military alliance concerned with the security of the Euro-Atlantic region and emphasized that “NATO’s purpose is not to conduct an operation in the Strait of Hormuz that would violate international law.”
Trump to Address the Nation Tonight
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that President Trump will deliver a national address “to provide information about the Iran war.”
The speech is expected to last around 20 minutes and is scheduled to begin at 04:00 (Turkey time) on Thursday, April 2.
In addition to Trump, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese were also expected to deliver national addresses.
Global Reactions and Developments
Prime Minister Albanese was the first to speak, stating: “I understand that it is difficult to remain positive at the moment. The war in the Middle East has led to the largest increase in gasoline and diesel prices in history. Australia is not actively participating in this war, but all Australians are paying higher prices because of it.”
He urged citizens not to stockpile fuel ahead of the Easter holiday and encouraged the use of public transportation.
Shortly after, Prime Minister Starmer also addressed the situation, stating: “In an unstable world, our long-term national interest requires close cooperation with our European allies.” He added that the Iran war “is not our war” and emphasized that the UK would act in line with its national interests.
Trump Again Says “2–3 Weeks”
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he expects the war to end “within two to three weeks.” He also stated that Iran’s reconstruction would take 15–20 years and claimed that the country no longer has a navy or army.
Trump argued that the U.S. has no stake in the Strait of Hormuz and that countries dependent on oil passing through the strait should take action themselves.
“We will leave Iran very soon. If France or any other country wants to buy oil or natural gas, they can pass through the Strait of Hormuz and handle it themselves. We have nothing to do with it,” he said.
Iran: We Want an End to the War, Not a Ceasefire
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Iran seeks a complete end to the war rather than a ceasefire, adding that any solution must include guarantees against future attacks and compensation for damages.
He also noted that contacts with the United States do not constitute negotiations but are limited to message exchanges, either directly or through regional intermediaries.
Escalation in the Region
The Israeli military announced that missiles had been launched from Iran toward Israel, with at least 14 people reported injured.
Iran’s Mehr News Agency reported that a four-story residential building in Karaj was hit in a joint U.S.-Israeli attack, killing at least four people and injuring eight others.
It was also reported that a surface-to-air missile in southern Lebanon shot down an Israeli military drone. Meanwhile, Israel said it had detected a missile launch from Yemen, with air defense systems activated to intercept the threat. The Houthis claimed responsibility, stating the attack was part of a joint operation with Iran and Hezbollah.
UAE Calls for U.S. Intervention
A vessel was reportedly struck by two missiles 17 nautical miles north of Qatar’s Ras Laffan port, one of which did not detonate.
Kuwait reported that an Iranian drone attack caused a fire at fuel storage facilities at its international airport, though no casualties were reported.
In the Gulf, the United Arab Emirates called for the U.S. to occupy islands in the Strait of Hormuz and is reportedly preparing to support efforts to forcibly reopen the strait, including lobbying for a United Nations Security Council resolution to authorize such action.
