U.S. President Trump Addresses Nation Amid Market Turmoil

U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a rare prime-time national television address from the White House on Thursday, attempting to reassure the American public amid financial market volatility and declining political support due to the ongoing war. According to Jin10, Trump declared that the war in Iraq is 'very close' to ending. However, as he hinted at a possible short-term escalation of military actions, international spot gold and silver prices plummeted, while U.S. and Brent crude oil prices surged. At the time of reporting, spot gold had dropped over $100 within the day, spot silver fell more than 3%, and both U.S. and Brent crude oil rose over 5%. The speech highlighted the immense pressure Trump faces to clarify the war's objectives to the public and to find an 'exit strategy' for the conflict, which has entered its fifth week and is becoming increasingly difficult to manage. Notably, the address seemed more like a mobilization effort typical of the war's early days rather than a summary after a month of conflict. Since the outbreak of hostilities, the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for one-fifth of the world's seaborne oil, has been largely blocked, posing a significant economic challenge. Although Trump continues to assert that the energy shock will ease post-war, the government has yet to outline how it plans to persuade Iran to reopen the strait to navigation.