Trump to Address Nation Tonight on Iran War as Gas Prices Hit $4 a Gallon

President Trump is set to deliver a primetime address to the nation tonight at 6 p.m. Pacific time, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt saying he will "provide an important update on Iran." The speech comes as the war with Iran enters its second month and gas prices cross $4 a gallon nationally for the first time in nearly four years.

Trump told reporters Tuesday he expects the U.S. to "leave" Iran within two to three weeks, saying, "We're hitting them very hard." He added that Iran doesn't necessarily need to negotiate a deal for the fighting to stop, pointing to what he described as the near-total destruction of the country's military capabilities. "It'll take 15 to 20 years for them to rebuild what we've done to them," Trump said.

Stocks surged Tuesday on hopes of a quick end to the conflict. However, analysts note that energy prices may remain high if the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route for global oil, stays disrupted. Trump indicated the U.S. won't be responsible for reopening it, saying other nations like China will "take care of themselves."

In a separate development, Trump said in an interview with The Telegraph that he is strongly considering withdrawing the U.S. from NATO, citing frustration with European allies who have largely stayed out of the Iran conflict. NATO's mutual defense clause has only ever been invoked once, after the September 11 attacks, when Europe joined the U.S. in responding.

Trump's address is scheduled for 9 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. here on the West Coast.