White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt slammed Politico over a report anticipating the content of Trump's prime time speech on Iran on Wednesday, noting that it did not end up matching.
The story in question claimed that Trump would use the address to say that the war is winding down and to "scapegoat NATO allies for the biggest unresolved matter of the war, Iran's ongoing restrictions of shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz."
This story was based on “six people familiar with the planning,” and I am sure none of them actually read the President’s speech before it was delivered.
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) April 2, 2026
Politico did not even reach out to the White House for comment.
Another example of why you should not blindly trust what… https://t.co/lSVIKrTUPW
Trump claimed in the speech that the war will end "shortly" but didn't provide a specific timeline, adding that U.S. forces will continue attacking the country for at least two or three additional weeks. "We're going to bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong. In the meantime, discussions are ongoing," Trump said.
The president also hailed operations that have taken place so far, saying "thanks to the progress we've made, I can say tonight that we are on track and the country has been eviscerated and essentially is really no longer a threat."
He went on to note that if Tehran doesn't reach a deal with the U.S., forces will aim at the country's energy infrastructure. "We are going to hit each and every one of their electric generating plants very hard and probably simultaneously," he added.
Leavitt, however, claimed that the speech's content stand in contrast with Politico's reporting. She noted that the article was based on "six people familiar with the planning" but said she is "sure none of them actually read the President's speech before it was delivered.
"Politico did not even reach out to the White House for comment. Another example of why you should not blindly trust what you read from the legacy media. This is what they do - call up random sources who just make things up, and then they report it as fact," she added.
Markets also interpreted the speech as the war not winding down. Investors trimmed risk appetite on Thursday as President Trump's speech on the Iran war lacked specific guidance on a ceasefire or exit strategy, reversing a recent rally in stocks and lifting crude prices amid renewed geopolitical uncertainty.
Just before Trump's address, futures had rallied during two sessions on renewed hopes of de‑escalation, following reports that Iran might be open to ending hostilities, lifting stocks and easing some pressure on oil, Business Standard noted. The optimism was quickly reversed after Trump's speech as investors reacted to the lack of a clear end‑of‑war plan.
