Tonight, in a primetime address to the nation, President Donald J. Trump provided an update on Operation Epic Fury. After just one month, President Trump highlighted the extraordinary achievements of the U.S. military, which has delivered swift, overwhelming blows to the Iranian regime \u2014 decimating its navy, shattering its air force, eliminating its key terrorist leaders, and systematically dismantling its ability to threaten America, our allies, and the world.<\/p>\n
Here are the top moments from the address:<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we speak this evening, it has been just one month since the United States military began Operation Epic Fury targeting the world\u2019s number one state sponsor of terror, Iran. In these past four weeks, our Armed Forces have delivered swift, decisive, overwhelming victories on the battlefield \u2014 victories like few people have ever seen before. Tonight, Iran\u2019s navy is GONE. Their air force is in ruins. Their leaders, most of them \u2014 the terrorist regime they led \u2014 are now dead. Their command and control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Core is being decimated as we speak. Their ability to launch missiles and drones is dramatically curtailed and their weapons, factories, and rocket launchers are being blown to pieces \u2014 very few of them left. Never in the history of warfare has an enemy suffered such clear and devastating large-scale losses in a matter of weeks.\u201d (Watch<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u201cFrom the very first day I announced my campaign for President in 2015, I have vowed that I would never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. This fanatical regime has been chanting \u2018Death to America, \u2018Death to Israel,\u2019 for 47 years. Their proxies were behind the murder of 241 Americans in the Marine Barracks bombing in Beirut, the slaughter of hundreds of our servicemembers with roadside bombs, they were involved in the attack on the U.S.S. Cole, and they\u2019ve carried out countless other heinous acts\u2026 For these terrorists to have nuclear weapons would be an intolerable threat. The most violent and thuggish regime on earth would be free to carry out their campaigns of terror, coercion, conquest, and mass murder from behind a nuclear shield. I will never let that happen.\u201d (Watch<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u201cI did many things during my two terms in office to stop the quest for nuclear weapons by Iran\u2026 First, and perhaps most importantly, I killed General Qasem Soleimani in my first term\u2026 And then, very importantly, I terminated Barack Hussein Obama\u2019s Iran Nuclear Deal\u2026 Essentially, I did what no other President was willing to do. They made mistakes and I am correcting them.\u201d (Watch<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u201cMy first preference was always the path of diplomacy \u2014 yet, the regime continued their relentless quest for nuclear weapons and rejected every attempt at an agreement. For this reason, in June, I ordered a strike on Iran\u2019s key nuclear facilities in Operation Midnight Hammer\u2026 The regime then sought to rebuild their nuclear program at a totally different location, making clear they had no intention of abandoning their pursuit of nuclear weapons\u2026 For years, everyone has said that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons \u2014 but in the end, those are just words if you\u2019re not willing to take action when the time comes.\u201d (Watch<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u201cAs I stated in my announcement of Operation Epic Fury, our objectives are very simple and clear. We are systematically dismantling the regime\u2019s ability to threaten America or project power outside their borders\u2026 Our Armed Forces have been extraordinary. There\u2019s ever been anything like it militarily \u2014 everyone is talking about it \u2014 and tonight, I am pleased to say that these core strategic objectives are nearing completion. As we celebrate this progress, we think especially of the 13 American warriors who have laid down their lives in this fight to prevent our children from ever having to face a nuclear Iran\u2026 Now, we must honor them by completing the mission for which they gave their lives.\u201d (Watch<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u201cMany Americans have been concerned to see the recent rise in gasoline prices here at home\u2026 This short-term increase has been entirely the result of the Iranian regime launching deranged terror attacks against commercial oil tankers and neighboring countries that have nothing to do with the conflict. This is yet more proof that Iran can never be trusted with nuclear weapons. They will use them and they will use them quickly. It would lead to decades of extortion, economic pain, and instability worse than we can ever imagine. The United States has never been better prepared economically to confront this threat.\u201d (Watch<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u201cTo those countries that can\u2019t get fuel \u2014 many of which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, we had to do it ourselves \u2014 I have a suggestion. Number one, buy oil from the United States of America; we have plenty. We have so much. And Number two, build up some delayed courage\u2026 Go to the Strait and just take it. Protect it. Use it for yourselves. Iran has been essentially decimated. The hard part is done.\u201d (Watch<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u201cI have made clear from the beginning of Operation Epic Fury that we will continue until our objectives are fully achieved. Thanks to the progress we\u2019ve made, I can say tonight that we are on track to complete all of America\u2019s military objectives shortly \u2014 very shortly. We are going to hit them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks. We are going to bring them back to the stone ages where they belong. In the meantime, discussions are ongoing\u2026 We have all the cards; they have none.\u201d (Watch<\/a>)<\/p>\n \u201cTonight, every American can look forward to a day when we are finally free from the wickedness of Iranian aggression and the specter of nuclear blackmail. Because of the actions we have taken, we are on the cusp of ending Iran\u2019s sinister threat to America and the world.\u201d (Watch<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tonight, in a primetime address to the nation, President Donald J. 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