The president’s State of the Union warning came as he claimed victory over last year’s Operation Midnight Hammer airstrikes, which he said completely destroyed Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities and halted the regime’s ability to export terrorism.
Trump stated, “Without Operation Midnight Hammer, the Iranian regime would have spread terrorism. We destroyed their nuclear program. They are working on making missiles that will reach the US,” before delivering his ultimatum: “We can’t let them have a nuclear weapon.”
Lawmakers in Congress heard Trump characterize the Iranian nuclear threat as the country’s most critical security challenge, attributing the 2025 bombing campaign to preventing a regional catastrophe.
Speech marred by Democrats’ expulsions
Trump delivered the speech during America’s 250th anniversary year, although proceedings descended into chaos when Democrat Al Green was thrown out after displaying a sign reading “Black people are not monkeys,” while Minnesota Democrat Ilhan Omar branded Trump a “murderer” after telling Democrats they “should be ashamed” of opposing his ICE-led mass deportation of illegal migrants.
Tensions with Iran have soared since the explosion of anti-regime demonstrations in December in which government forces massacred tens of thousands of mostly young activists.
Trump condemned the killings and threatened the regime with destruction if mass public executions of demonstrators were carried out – prompting the Islamic government to back away from threats to hang arrested demonstrators en masse.
The military build-up signals imminent action
America has been amassing military assets across the region in recent weeks, with a naval fleet now within striking distance and around 40,000 troops stationed at bases in the Gulf, mainly Qatar.
Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump is considering an “initial limited military strike” to force Tehran to accept his demands for a nuclear deal.
Such an attack would be the opening salvo, designed to force the regime to agree without provoking major retaliation. Sources familiar with the deliberations suggested action could take place within days, targeting military or government installations.
Senior aides have repeatedly presented this option to Trump, though the extent of his serious consideration remains unclear.
Should Iran continue to resist cooperation, the US would escalate a comprehensive campaign against its facilities, potentially aimed at completely overthrowing the regime.
Officials indicated that military action would take the form of a “week-long campaign” that could potentially culminate in a “full-fledged war,” the Daily Mail reports. They warned it could be “existential for the regime” and “dramatically impact the entire region.”
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