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Updated: April 13, 2026
(Bloomberg) — President Donald Trump said he foresaw ending the war on Iran within two to three weeks, suggesting the US had largely accomplished its military goals and would leave it to other nations to resolve issues with the Strait of Hormuz.
“I would say that within two weeks, maybe two weeks, maybe three,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. “We’ll leave because there’s no reason for us to do this.”
Trump indicated that it was possible that Iran could still reach a deal with the US during that timeframe but said an agreement with Tehran was not necessary for the war to end. Trump added the US would leave when Iran was not able to obtain nuclear weapons and claimed the regime now in power was better than the leadership before the war.
“We have had regime change now. Regime change was not one of the things I had as a goal. I had one goal. They will have no nuclear weapon, and that goal has been attained. They will not have nuclear weapons,” Trump said.
On Tuesday night, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X that Trump would address the nation Wednesday night “to provide an important update on Iran.” She did not provide further details.
Oil contracts were slightly firmer after the president’s remarks in early action. Asian stocks bounced back from their worst month in more than 17 years on optimism the conflict that jolted global markets may be nearing a conclusion.
It remains unclear how firm Trump’s timeline is. He often sets two-week deadlines and regularly blows past them. The US has also moved additional troops into the region, preserving the option of further escalation.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in an interview with Fox News the US “can see the finish line” in Iran, but added the administration’s objectives won’t be achieved within the next day or two. Rubio also said the US will have to “re-examine the value” of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization after the Iran conflict is over.
The president again expressed frustration with US allies for not helping reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway largely closed since the start of the conflict. Trump has told associates that he is angry with NATO members and other allies, said people familiar with his thinking.
“What happens to the strait? We’re not going to have anything to do with because these countries, China, China, will go up, and they’ll fuel up their beautiful ships, and they’ll leave and they’ll take care of themselves,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “There’s no reason for us to do it.”
