Trump To Address The Nation

President Donald Trump announced Monday that he plans to deliver a prime-time address to the nation on Thursday evening.

“President Trump will be making a Speech to the Nation on Thursday evening, at 9 P.M. Eastern,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

The White House has not yet released a full preview of the speech, leaving observers to speculate about the subjects Trump may discuss. One possibility is the escalating conflict involving Iran, particularly after the collapse of the ceasefire and renewed military activity in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

Tensions in the region have risen sharply following reports that Iran fired on ships attempting to travel through the strategically important waterway. The Strait of Hormuz is a major route for international energy shipments, and any disruption there could have significant consequences for global trade.

In a separate social media post Monday, Trump declared that the strait would remain open, regardless of Iran’s actions. He also announced the return of what he called the “Iranian blockade,” which he said would prevent Iranian ships and Iran’s customers from entering or leaving while allowing vessels from other countries to pass through.

Trump went on to describe the United States as the “Guardian of the Hormuz Strait.” He said countries benefiting from American protection would be expected to reimburse the United States at a rate equal to 20 percent of the cargo being shipped through the area. According to Trump, the arrangement would help cover the cost of maintaining security in what he called a highly volatile part of the world.

Speaking from the Oval Office on Monday, Trump described Iran as “stone-cold crazy.” He pointed to reported attacks against Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia over the weekend as evidence of Tehran’s increasingly aggressive behavior.

“I want to be reimbursed because we’re protecting a very rich portion of the world,” Trump said. “We’re spending money, and so what we’ve done is we are going to be reimbursed for protection.”