As end-of-war talks between the United States and Iran are underway, U.S. President Donald Trump said, "Whether through a diplomatic deal or militarily, the United States will ultimately win."
On the 4th (local time), President Trump told reporters at the White House about the status of negotiations with Iran, saying, "We are doing very well," and added, "We will have to see how we ultimately win, but we could win on paper or we could win militarily."
The United States and Iran are said to be continuing discussions on the possibility of signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that includes terms for ending the war. Trump's remarks that day are seen as expressing confidence that the United States will achieve its desired outcome regardless of whether a deal is reached.
Trump also offered an optimistic outlook on the Israel-Lebanon cease-fire talks being mediated by the United States. Regarding speculation that Hezbollah, a pro-Iran armed faction, rejected the cease-fire proposal, he said, "They did not reject it," adding, "It appears they are watching the situation." He then said, "Hezbollah first contacted the U.S. side to express its intention for a cease-fire," and "Progress is being made in the talks."
However, he also made clear that the United States could take military action if U.S. troops are harmed. Trump said, "If they kill U.S. soldiers, we will act very swiftly," adding, "That could be sufficient reason to end the cease-fire." The remarks are interpreted as a warning that military options will not be ruled out even during negotiations.
Trump also drew a line against plans to meet directly with Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, while leaving open the possibility of a meeting if the negotiations are successfully concluded.
Meanwhile, Trump also announced a large-scale support package to revive the U.S. coal industry. About $700 million (about 1.07 trillion won) will be invested to expand coal-fired power plants and export infrastructure to actively support the coal industry. Trump said, "We will protect 14 coal-fired power plants and 42 mines and build two new coal-fired power plants and one large export terminal." The new plants are slated for Alaska and West Virginia.
He also announced that he would invoke the Defense Production Act (DPA) to support coal-fired power plants in 10 states, including West Virginia, Kentucky, and North Carolina. The move is seen as effectively overturning the pro-environment energy policies pursued by the Joe Biden administration and signaling the Trump administration's policy direction to lower energy prices by increasing power supply based on fossil fuels.