”Gave Iran the right to have a nuclear weapon..”

A combination of persistent inflation, rising energy costs tied to the ongoing conflict with Iran, and slipping approval ratings for the president has created headwinds that could make it harder for the GOP to hold or expand its narrow House majority.

During his speech, Trump also revisited his long-standing criticism of the Iran nuclear deal negotiated during Obama’s presidency.

“He gave Iran the right to have a nuclear weapon at the highest level within a very short period of time. I terminated that agreement as soon as I came to office,” Trump claimed.

The agreement — known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — was designed to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief, though Trump withdrew the U.S. from the deal during his presidency.

Later in the speech, Trump shifted focus to rising tensions in the Middle East, describing ongoing actions involving Iran and suggesting the country is eager to negotiate.

“Nobody has ever seen anything like we’re doing in the Middle East with Iran. And they are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly, but they’re afraid to say it,” he said.

“They’re also afraid they’ll be killed by us. There’s never been a head of a country that wanted that job less than being the head of Iran.”

Trump went on to describe the situation as a “military operation,” claiming the U.S. is “decimating” Iran and achieving “great military triumphs… [that] can’t be displayed on television.”

Despite those claims, Iranian officials have denied any direct talks with the U.S., saying communication has only happened through intermediaries.