WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump stated that Iran is currently negotiating primarily to avoid a military attack by the United States. Speaking at a ceremony, Trump framed the situation as one of deterrence, asserting, “Iran does not want the US to attack it.” He called for a global alliance to combat what he termed sectarian violence and religious oppression, vowing to fight all forms of discrimination and violence fiercely.
The speech quickly pivoted to domestic political attacks, where Trump delivered one of his most direct personal critiques of President Joe Biden to date. He labeled Biden “the worst president of the US,” and claimed Biden “did not know that he was the president.” In a striking rhetorical reversal, Trump addressed criticisms of his own leadership style, saying, “people call me a dictator, I am not, Joe Biden’s personality was like a dictator.”
Shifting to energy geopolitics, Trump highlighted Venezuela’s vast resources, noting it holds the world’s largest oil reserves after the United States. He emphasized that together, the two nations control an estimated 68% of global oil reserves. Linking this to global power dynamics, President Trump concluded that “oil is the main weapon of world power,” adding that “energy [and the] economy have become the center of world politics.”
