Overview
- President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that he will deliver a primetime “Speech to the Nation” at 9 p.m. Eastern on Thursday.
- The White House formally notified Congress that U.S. military operations against Iran have resumed and said U.S. forces carried out “defensive strikes” on July 7.
- Multiple outlets report the administration plans to present newly declassified intelligence alleging foreign interference in the 2020 election, but the claim rests largely on single-source and unnamed-official reports that the White House has not fully confirmed.
- The administration has announced a restored naval blockade of Iran and a proposed 20% fee on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, steps that prompted immediate questions about legal authority and congressional oversight under the War Powers Resolution.
- Broadcast networks are weighing whether to air the address live, and the speech could deepen political and credibility disputes because courts, audits and earlier U.S. intelligence reviews found no evidence that foreign actors altered the technical outcome of the 2020 vote.