On Saturday morning, Americans woke up to a new reality – their country had started a war in a distant land. Donald Trump announced this in an eight-minute video addressed to his compatriots. Standing in a white cap with the word “USA” in front of two flags of his country, he announced that American armed forces had made a “significant” intervention against the Iranian regime and you can expect the worst: the death of American soldiers.
In this way, he made it clear that US and Israeli forces have been conducting airstrikes on targets in Iran since the morning they are not a precise attack on strategic targets, but a long-term war.
For many days, Washington wondered whether and when Trump would order an attack on Iran. In his statement on Thursday evening, Oman's Foreign Minister Badr al-Bussaidi suggested that it was possible to resolve the conflict through negotiations. After talks between Iranian and American negotiators in Geneva, they announced that a peaceful solution to the nuclear deal is “within reach.”
However, the White House interpreted the results of the talks differently. “We wanted a deal, but they want to do evil,” Trump said in the video. “We just can't tolerate this anymore.
He added that the goal of Operation Epic Fury, as he described the attack on Iran, is to “eliminate the threat from the Iranian regime.” He clearly emphasized that it was not only about Tehran's nuclear potential. He added that he intended to destroy its missile program, “exterminate” its navy and “ensure” that Iran-funded terrorist organizations in the region no longer pose a threat.
Trump's primary goal is to overthrow the mullahs' regime. — Stay at home for now. Bombs will fall everywhere, he said, addressing the Iranian people. He also called on the Revolutionary Guard to lay down their weapons and offered them amnesty. The alternative is certain death. “No president has ever been willing to do what I'm doing tonight,” Trump said.
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He added that this “noble mission” could lead to extreme situations. He then prepared the nation for the worst: “our brave heroes may lose their lives and we may suffer casualties, as always happens in war.” Iran can be expected to take revenge not only on Israel but also on the US by targeting US military bases in the region. Before noon, official reports of possible Iranian attacks came from Bahrain, where the United States has a military base.
In this way, the President of the United States begins a new chapter of his presidency and the history of his country. And it is not known how it will end for him – polls show that after a long and costly war in Iraq and an even longer mission in Afghanistan, Americans are tired of US military involvement in the Middle East.
Trump himself, like Barack Obama in the intra-party primaries, could effectively run an election campaign against Hillary Clinton in 2016 because, as a senator, she voted for the war in Iraq. Then, as in 2024, Trump promised not to start new wars. This promise, repeated by him many times during his great election rallies, was met with great enthusiasm among Americans.
A turning point
So far, Trump has managed to keep that promise. Although as president he issued orders for many military operations, these have always been one-off, time-limited and clearly defined actions. The bombing of Iran's nuclear program last June or the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in early January were precisely executed operations that ended quickly. More importantly, they took place without losses on the American side, so Trump could present them as a success.
In recent months, he has also not failed to declare himself the “president of peace.” He boasted many times that he had ended many wars. In January, he convened a special Peace Council to consolidate the ceasefire he negotiated between Hamas and Israel.
Trump has not prepared the American people as a whole, or even his MAGA supporters, for a fundamental shift in strategy. And that's what happened now. Earlier this week, he publicly denied media leaks that suggested his chief of staff, Dan Caine, had warned him about the risks of a major operation against Iran. The war is “easy to win,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
In his State of the Union address, he also did not warn his compatriots about the threat from Iran. Vice President JD Vance told The Washington Post on Thursday that The United States will “under no circumstances” re-engage in a long war.
If the recently launched operation against Iran actually leads to a long-term war that causes American casualties, it could have a decisive impact on the history of the United States, Trump's presidency and the upcoming congressional election campaign.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
