Update: April 1, 1:30 a.m. UTC — This story was updated with additional details about President Trump’s remarks and related background.
President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that the United States could end its military campaign in Iran within weeks, saying the primary objective—eliminating Iran’s nuclear capabilities—has been achieved. Speaking during an executive-order signing ceremony, Trump said the withdrawal could come “within two to three weeks,” adding that “there’s no reason for us to do this” once the goal is met. He said, “I had one goal: They will have no nuclear weapons, and that goal has been attained,” and that U.S. forces were “finishing the job” by “knock[ing] out every single thing they have.”
The conflict in the Middle East intensified after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in February. Those strikes helped trigger an Iranian-led blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping lane, which has pushed oil prices higher and introduced volatility across cryptocurrencies and broader financial markets.
Trump told aides, according to The Wall Street Journal, that he is willing to end the military campaign even if the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, and he said a negotiated deal with remaining Iranian leaders is not a prerequisite for withdrawal. “If they come to the table, that’ll be good. But doesn’t matter whether they come or not. We’ve set them back. It’ll take 15 to 20 years for them to rebuild what we’ve done to them,” he said.
Trump also asserted that Iran’s military capabilities have been severely degraded, saying the country had “no navy, no military, no air force, no telecommunications, no anti-aircraft systems” and that many leaders were gone, framing the outcome as regime change.
Pentagon officials offered a more cautious assessment. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that despite ongoing strikes aimed at degrading Iranian capabilities, Iran still retains the ability to launch offensive missiles.
Markets reacted to signs the conflict might be winding down. Over the past 24 hours the crypto market capitalization rose about 1.1%, with Bitcoin trading near $67,858 (roughly +1.6%) and Ether up about 3.5% to near $2,097, per CoinGecko. Major U.S. equity indices also gained: the S&P 500 closed up about 2.91% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose roughly 2.49%.
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