Trump to address nation at critical moment in his war with Iran

Key Points:

• President Trump is scheduled to address the nation tonight at 9 p.m. ET, marking his first formal speech since the U.S. began military actions against Iran over a month ago.
• The conflict started in late February with U.S. and Israeli bombings of Iran, and since then, the Trump administration's objectives and statements about the war have been inconsistent, including conflicting claims about negotiations with Iran.
• Trump recently stated that Iran's president requested a ceasefire, but he will only agree if the Strait of Hormuz is reopened; Iran's foreign minister denied this claim as false.
• The war has led Iran to significantly reduce traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil shipping route, causing global oil price increases and higher costs for gasoline and fertilizers in the U.S.
• Despite some military goals being partially achieved, such as weakening Iran's navy and missile capabilities, the issue of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons remains unresolved, with Trump suggesting future administrations may need to address it.