Iran-US war latest: Trump rationalizes Epic Fury in slur-filled, rehash-heavy address to a nation weary of his lack of ‘plan’

Donald Trump once again blamed the rise in gas prices in the U.S. on the Iranian conflict, and once again boasted that the economy he had cultivated was strong enough to withstand it.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

He added: “The United States has never been better prepared economically to confront this threat. You all know that we built the strongest economy in history.

“In one year, we’ve taken a dead and crippled country, I hate to say that, but we were a dead and crippled country after the last administration, and made it the hottest country anywhere in the world, by far.”

Analysis: Andrew Feinberg delivers his verdict on Donald Trump’s address to the nation:

Moments before Donald Trump began his remarks, officials from the United Arab Emirates revealed that its defense systems were engaging with drone and missile attacks originating from Iran.

“The Ministry of Defense confirms that the sounds heard in various parts of the country are the result of the UAE air defense systems intercepting ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones,” the UAE Ministry of Defense wrote online.

“UAE Air Defences system are actively engaging with missiles and UAV threats MOD asserts that the sounds heard across the country are the result of ongoing engaging operations of missiles and UAV’s.”

The MOD also warned civilians not to approach, touch or photograph debris that had fallen onto the ground as a result of any interceptions.

Barack Obama’s former speech writer Jon Favreau blasted the rambling and self-aggrandizing nature of Donald Trump’s remarks Wednesday night.

“I’m actually quite glad that primetime viewers are being exposed to the insane Truth Social rants the rest of us have been reading,” referring to the president’s frequent posts on his social media website, that often boast of his own achievements.

In his address to the nation Wednesday night, Donald Trump said his “first preference” to resolve the Iran war had been a diplomatic solution.

“I did what no other president was willing to do. They made mistakes, and I am correcting them,” he said.

“My first preference was always the path of diplomacy. 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’s key nuclear facilities and Operation Midnight Hammer.

“Nobody has ever seen anything like it.”

Donald Trump has announced that the end of U.S. military operations in Iran was “very close,” claiming that the families of dead service members had told him to “finish the job.”

“Tonight, I’m pleased to say that these core strategic objectives are nearing completion,” he said.

“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.

“We salute them, and now we must honor them by completing the mission for which they gave their lives. And every single one of the people, their loved one said, ‘please, sir, please finish the job, every one of them.

“And we are going to finish the job. And we’re going to finish it very fast. We’re getting very close.”

In his address to the nation Wednesday night Donald Trump declared that America was now “winning bigger than ever.”

“Never in the history of warfare has an enemy suffered such clear and devastating, large scale losses in a matter of weeks,” he said.

“Our enemies are losing in America, as it has been for five years under my presidency, is winning and now winning bigger than ever before.”

The president continued to boast of his achievements, while blasting his predecessors.

“They made mistakes, and I am correcting them,” he said.

Donald Trump appeared to slur some of his words as he began his remarks to the nation.