German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks throughout a gathering with President Donald Trump within the Oval Workplace on the White Home, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in Washington.
| Photograph Credit score: AP
President Donald Trump mentioned on Tuesday (March 3, 2026) the U.S. Navy was able to escort oil tankers by means of an important Gulf transport route, as he justified his struggle on Iran by saying he believed Tehran was about to strike first.
Additionally Learn | Why the closure of Strait of Hormuz is inflicting fears about elevating crude oil costs
Mr. Trump has given usually conflicting explanations for the joint U.S.-Israeli assault on Iran, whereas the President who as soon as campaigned to finish to America’s West Asian wars has set out no agency endgame.
The assaults and Iran’s fiery response have engulfed the West Asia — whereas additionally inflicting world financial turmoil as transport avoids the Strait of Hormuz close to Iran, one of many world’s most significant transport lanes.
Mr. Trump, whose personal boasts of financial revival at the moment are additionally below risk forward of midterm elections later this yr, moved to calm the jitters by saying U.S. warships might assist.
“If essential, the US Navy will start escorting tankers by means of the Strait of Hormuz, as quickly as potential,” Mr. Trump mentioned on his Fact Social platform.
Insurance coverage for industrial transport
The U.S. president additionally ordered Washington to offer insurance coverage for industrial transport. U.S. shares reduce their losses after the announcement, though crude costs continued to rise.
With questions swirling about Mr. Trump’s justifications for his nation’s greatest entanglement in West Asia for many years, the U.S. chief earlier denied Israel had pressured him into launching the strikes.
Mr. Trump’s feedback appeared to contradict Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who mentioned on Monday that Washington solely acted after studying that ally Israel was going to strike.
“I believe they (Iran) had been going to assault first. And I did not need that to occur,” Mr. Trump mentioned as he hosted German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the Oval Workplace.
“So, if something, I might need pressured Israel’s hand.”
Trump on Iran strike
Fielding questions for the primary time in public since launching the operation Saturday, Mr. Trump additionally mentioned the U.S.-Israel strikes had largely destroyed Iran’s navy.
“Nearly all the things’s been knocked out,” Mr. Trump mentioned, including that Iran’s navy, air power and radar techniques had all been taken out of motion.
Mr. Trump nevertheless supplied no agency plan for Iran’s future management, saying that “the general public we had in thoughts are useless.”
He mentioned that the “worst case” was {that a} substitute for Iranian supreme chief Ali Khamenei, who was killed in strikes on Saturday, may very well be simply as unhealthy.
Revealed – March 04, 2026 06:01 am IST