[Key Supplement: Trump Finds a 'New Justification' for Military Action Against Iran]
At 8 PM Washington time on April 1, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a speech in the Cross Hall of the White House in Washington, stating:
The United States' military action against Iran is not about acquiring their oil; we don't need anything they have. We are now completely independent from the Middle East, yet we are still providing assistance there—we don't have to be. We are here to help our allies.
Lao Liu's supplementary information:
Since February 28, 2026, Trump has frequently changed the "justification (excuse)" for military action against Iran. Initially, he claimed it was due to "Iran posing an imminent threat to the United States," a claim widely questioned and opposed by both Democrats and Republicans. Subsequently, he shifted the rationale to "eliminating Iran's long-term threat to the U.S." and proposed taking Iranian uranium. Later, he changed the justification again to "acquiring Iranian oil and controlling the Strait of Hormuz," using the results of the operation against Venezuela as proof of "high returns at low cost."
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861338489653251/
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