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With low public support for the war and the midterms looming, speech is expected to cover both foreign policy and domestic political issues
00:00WATCH LIVE: US President Donald Trump addresses nationSCMP ReportersPublished: 8:44am, 17 Jul 2026Updated: 9:18am, 17 Jul 20260 New UpdateIntroductionUS President Donald Trump will deliver a prime-time “Speech to the Nation” on Thursday at 9pm Eastern Time, or 9am Hong Kong time on Friday.
Such addresses are typically reserved for major national moments. During his second term, Trump has used them to highlight key priorities, including a year-end address in December, and a speech in April focused on the Iran conflict.
The White House has not released the full agenda, but the timing has drawn attention. The address comes soon after Trump announced the reinstatement of a US naval blockade on Iran and reversed course on his proposed 20 per cent fee on cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz, declaring the US the “guardian” of the critical waterway.
With the Iran conflict escalating, public support for the war remaining low, and the 2026 midterms approaching, Trump is expected to address both foreign policy and domestic political issues, including his allegations about election vulnerabilities and voter fraud in 2020.
But the broadcast is already being teased by briefed congressional allies as the most critical Oval Office address since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, with a warning that the time for complacency with China is officially over.
Despite repeatedly describing Chinese President Xi Jinping as his “friend” and his recent visit to Beijing, Trump is expected to reiterate earlier claims about Chinese interference in US elections.
Reporting by Khushboo Razdan, Dewey Sim and Orange Wang
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