US President Donald Trump delivered a prime-time “Speech to the Nation” on Thursday at 9pm Eastern Time, or 9am Hong Kong time on Friday.
Such addresses are typically reserved for major national moments. During his second term, Trump has used them to highlight key priorities, including a year-end address in December, and a speech in April focused on the Iran conflict.
While the White House did not release the full agenda ahead of the speech, its timing drew attention. It came soon after Trump announced the reinstatement of a US naval blockade on Iran and reversed course on his proposed 20 per cent fee on cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz, declaring the US the “guardian” of the critical waterway.
With the Iran conflict escalating, public support for the war remaining low, and the 2026 midterms approaching, Trump was expected to address both foreign policy and domestic political issues, including his allegations about election vulnerabilities and voter fraud in 2020.
Ahead of the speech, briefed congressional allies described it as the most critical Oval Office address since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, with a warning that the time for complacency with China was officially over.
Despite repeatedly describing Chinese President Xi Jinping as his “friend” and his recent visit to Beijing, Trump was expected to reiterate earlier claims about Chinese interference in US elections.
Reporting by Khushboo Razdan, Dewey Sim and Orange Wang