In his lengthy State of the Union address, lasting an hour and 47 minutes, President Donald Trump made several statements about Iran, specifically regarding its missile capabilities. He asserted that Iran has already developed missiles that pose a threat to Europe and U.S. bases abroad, as well as working on the construction of rockets that would soon reach the United States. However, the claims regarding the immediacy of the threat posed by Iran's intercontinental ballistic missiles have raised concerns, as there is no formal evidence supporting Trump's timeline.

CBS highlighted that neither President Trump nor representatives from his administration had previously indicated that Iran posed an imminent threat with intercontinental ballistic missiles, which are the only type of missiles that could reach the United States from Iran. A 2025 security threat assessment from U.S. military intelligence further complicates Trump's assertion, stating that Iran would likely not be capable of deploying operational ballistic missiles until around 2035. This discrepancy raises questions about the accuracy of the information Trump used in his address and its potential implications for U.S. foreign policy and national security.

The discourse surrounding Iran's military capabilities critically affects international relations, particularly regarding U.S. policies in the Middle East. Given that U.S. intelligence contradicts Trump's claims, this matter warrants scrutiny. The motivations behind such statements by a sitting president can influence public perception, the media narrative, and ultimately legislative actions regarding defense and military funding, making the accuracy of such claims crucial for informed policymaking.