Trump says Iran war 'will end soon' as 23 US troops dead, Hegseth reprimanded at Arlington

President Trump marked Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery Tuesday, declaring the US-Iran war "will be over soon" and the world will be safer. The conflict began February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran; Pentagon confirms 23 American service members killed and hundreds wounded. Trump insisted Iran "has been waging war on America since 1979" and US forces are preventing Tehran from building a nuclear weapon.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attended but drew attention for the wrong reasons. An Army sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier publicly reprimanded Hegseth and his group for laughing after photos at the sacred site. Days earlier, House Republicans blocked an impeachment effort against Hegseth for allegedly waging war without congressional approval. Trump also pushed his planned 250-foot triumphal arch near the cemetery—opposed by the Kennedy family, veterans groups, DC, and Virginia in court.

For Nigerians, this matters through oil markets and global stability. A prolonged US-Iran conflict threatens Gulf shipping lanes—Nigeria's oil exports and fuel import costs are directly exposed. The war's trajectory also signals US foreign policy direction under Trump's second term, affecting African partnerships and security cooperation.

With 23 US dead in nine months and no congressional authorization vote, the war's legal basis remains contested. Will Congress eventually assert its war powers, or does executive action set a new precedent for military engagements affecting global oil prices?

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/11/12/trump-defends-iran-war-in-veterans-day-address/