What will Trump do next? World awaits US President's address with bated breath

When US and Israel launched an attack on Iran and got the big kill (Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei) on the very first day, everyone, including Trump thought Iran would be brought to its knees and the war would end within days. But it has been 33 days and Iran stands defiant, rejecting US demands outright and dismissing Trump's claims as false, leaving him with little choice. Now Trump has said that the war could end in 2 weeks.

"We'll be leaving very soon," he said, adding that the withdrawal could happen "within two weeks, maybe two weeks, maybe three."

Shortly after Trump's statement, the White House announced that the US President will address the nation on April 1, 9 pm EST. With Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz, oil supply across the world has been hit and markets plunge into new uncertainty every day. Now, the world awaits Trump's next announcement with bated breath.

So, will the war end? Any attempts to predict would be in vain as long as the decision remains in the hands of a man as unpredictable as Donald Trump.

TRUMP: ONE MAN, MANY MOODS

Through a steady stream of media sound bites and his trademark all-caps social media posts, Donald Trump has repeatedly pressed Iran to strike a deal or face escalating consequences. Just days ago, he issued one of his starkest warnings yet, declaring that if Tehran failed to comply, the United States would respond by “completely obliterating” Iran’s power plants, oil wells, and the critical oil hub of Kharg Island.

On March 31, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also warned that if Iran doesn't make a deal, the war would intensify.

"If Iran is smart, it will make a deal...President Trump does not bluff and will not back down. He will make a deal, he is willing, and the terms of the deal are known to them," Hegseth said.

But on Monday, Trump went back on his words and said the end to US operations was not dependent on reaching any deal with Iran.

"They don't have to make a deal with me. When we feel that they are, for a long period of time, put into the stone ages and they won't be able to come up with a nuclear weapon, then we'll leave," he said.

"Whether we have a deal or not, it's irrelevant."

MESSY NEGOTIATIONS

Three countries – Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt – have been tasked with negotiations between the three countries involved in the war. Trump and his team have repeatedly claimed that the talks are going very well, but Iran says they are not even talking.

US had sent a 15-point proposal to Iran to end the Middle East conflict, which includes conditions such as strict curbs on Tehran’s nuclear programme, an end to support for proxy groups and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran rejected the proposal, calling it

Earlier, Trump claimed that “very good and productive” conversations over the past two days had led to progress with Iran. However, Tehran rejected the assertion, saying no back channel talks had taken place beyond limited indirect contacts about reviving negotiations. Iran accused Trump of of trying to calm US markets by delaying threatened strikes, which he said were postponed for five days to allow time for a potential “15 points of agreement.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry said that during the 31 days of conflict, no negotiations with the US had taken place.

“We have had no negotiations with America in these thirty-one days. What has occurred is the submission of a negotiation request, accompanied by a set of proposals from America, which has reached us through certain intermediaries, including Pakistan,” Baqaei said in a post on X.

The statement directly contradicts remarks from the White House, where Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said talks with Iran were “continuing and going well”. Trump also repeatedly claimed engagement with Iranian officials through both direct and indirect channels.

Iran foreign ministry spokesperson also said there were “no direct talks”, accusing US of making “excessive, unreasonable demands via intermediaries”. The spokesperson added that Pakistan’s diplomatic forums were “their own” and made clear: “We didn’t participate.”

On Tuesday, China and Pakistan proposed a five-point plan including a ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, as Beijing steps up diplomatic efforts.

IT'S RAINING MISSILES

Even as US claims that talks are going very well, missiles and drones continue to fly. On Wednesday, two Afghan workers were injured after US-Israeli attack on Bushehr meteorological facility.

Iran launched fresh attacks targeting several parts of central Israel and the United Arab Emirates. The attacks in Israel left six people, including a 11-year-old girl injured. One person died In UAE. The US military claimed to have hit underground military targets in Iran.

Seperately, an oil tanker in Qatar was also hit by missile. An airstrike hit former US Embassy compound in Tehran. A drone attack by Iran and its allies hit a fuel tank at Kuwait Airport, sparking a fire.

Meanwhile, Iran and Hezbollah continue coordinated attacks in Israel, targeting key infrastructure and northern cities, and causing power outages.

As the conflict intensifies, the human toll continues to rise, with the number of injured in Israel now reported at 6,286.

TRUMP LOSING HIS OWN GAME?

Nato allies Spain, France and Italy have restricted US military operations, closing airspace, denying base access and limiting logistical support. Despite Trump's repeated "US will remember" threats and public bashing of Nato, the allies remain unfazed.

Looking at Trump's repeated rants on social media, one would feel the man is talking to himself and nobody is even listening. Trump tried everything he could to scare Nato and get them on his side, but he failed – miserably.

Trump tried to scare the Iranian officials into making a deal with his repeated threats but has seemed to fail, with Iran remaining undeterred. In fact, it is Trump who has to now say he doesn't want a deal anymore. His long 15-point condition has suddenly come down to just one - no nukes for Iran.

As fast as Trump goes back on his words and with his zigzagging approach, he is not only losing the war but also the public trust.

In a Pew Research survey published last week, 61 percent of Americans disapproved of US President Donald Trump’s handling of the conflict, while 37 percent expressed approval.

As for Iran, its sense of victory, for now, rests in the resilience it has displayed. Despite suffering a significant blow with the loss of key leadership figures, Tehran remains defiant. The tone from its officials and ministers has been unwavering, matching the firmness seen on the first day of the conflict.

While Trump claims that the United States has crippled Iran’s naval capabilities, what has endured is Iran’s resolve. Iran isn't afraid to call out Trump's "lies", Iran isn't afraid to reject US's peace proposal and Iran doesn't feel a need to soften its tone while doing so.

In that sense, Iran’s strength lies not just in military capacity, but in its refusal to yield. A smaller force may not match a stronger one in power, but in standing its ground and meeting it head-on, it can still claim a moment of symbolic victory. A cat may never be as powerful as a lion, but when it looks the lion in the eye, it claims a symbolic victory, even if only for a moment.

WILL TRUMP ANNOUNCE END TO WAR?

Trump and his team have repeatedly said that the US wants to end the war but, at the same time, they do not deny the possibility of escalation and even a ground invasion.

Trump says US could leave Iran in two weeks but what he hasn't mentioned is how. Whether he wants to leave Iran on its own or will "blow up" everything and then leave is the question. Or the third possibility: Trump might flip again and start begging for a deal and abort the two weeks plan altogether.

WILL ISRAEL AGREE?

Now the bigger question: will Israel agree if Trump decides to end the war? Contrary to Trump's statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would continue to "crush Iran's terror regime".

"The campaign is not over. We will continue to crush the terror regime," he said in a televised statement.

"We had to act, and we acted... We have remained steadfast in our mission, and we have changed the face of the Middle East," he added, asserting that despite the ongoing war, Israel had emerged as a "regional power".

Will the war end soon? People won't have to keep guessing for too long as Trump is set to hold a presser on April 1 where he is expected to announce the US's next course of action.

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