President Trump used his State of the Union Address to revisit the US military strikes on Iran conducted last June, defending the decision while expressing frustration that Iran appears to be reconstituting its nuclear weapons program. He referred to the strikes as Operation Midnight Hammer and described them as having successfully dismantled Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
Trump said Iran was given a clear warning after the strikes: do not attempt to rebuild. Despite that, he claimed Iran has since begun restarting its weapons development, calling the move both defiant and dangerous. He said the US cannot allow this to continue and placed the responsibility for escalation squarely on Tehran.
The speech came at a moment of active, if fragile, diplomacy. Trump confirmed two rounds of nuclear negotiations have already taken place this month. He said Iran is motivated to reach a deal but that Washington has not yet heard the commitment it requires — a public declaration that Iran will never pursue nuclear weapons.
Trump described an increasingly dangerous missile environment, warning that Iranian rockets already threaten Europe and American military bases overseas, and that longer-range weapons capable of striking the US homeland are in development. He said these developments are being closely monitored and factored into US military strategy.
While his language was often sharp, Trump closed his Iran remarks with a gesture toward peace. He said America will always prefer to resolve conflicts through negotiation, but made clear that the US is fully prepared to use military force if Iran crosses the nuclear threshold. The choice, he implied, belongs to Tehran.