'Progress' seen on Lebanon truce; $700 million coal energy package announced

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US President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office at the White House on Thursday. [Reuters]
US President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office at the White House on Thursday. [Reuters]

As the United States and Iran discuss signing a memorandum of understanding to end their conflict, President Donald Trump said Thursday that the US would ultimately prevail — whether through a diplomatic agreement or by military force.

Speaking at the White House about the situation with Iran, Trump said he believed the US was "doing very well" but that it remained to be seen exactly how victory would come. "We can win on paper, or we can win militarily," he said, making clear he was confident the US would prevail either way.

The remarks signaled confidence that Washington could secure its desired outcome — whether through a negotiated settlement with Tehran or, if necessary, through military means.

On reports that Iran-backed Hezbollah had rejected a US-brokered ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Lebanese government, Trump pushed back. "They haven't rejected it," he said. "Hezbollah seems to be watching the situation."

He added that Hezbollah had reached out to the US first to signal its willingness to reach a truce, and said "progress is being made" in the ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Lebanon.

Asked by reporters whether a ceasefire with Iran would end if a US soldier were killed, Trump said that would be "a very good reason" to terminate it. "If they kill an American soldier, I would do it very quickly," he said.

While the response was to a hypothetical question, it suggested the US could move to military action against Iran if American troops were killed.

Trump also said he did not particularly want to meet with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, but left open the possibility of a meeting if a deal with Iran were reached.

On signs that Russia and Ukraine are moving toward resuming peace talks, Trump said the two countries' leaders needed to bring the war to a close. "I hope both sides make certain concessions," he said.

Trump sought to defuse controversy over his appointment of Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, saying the role was "temporary, not permanent." He added that he was already conducting interviews for candidates to fill the DNI post permanently.

Meanwhile, Trump announced Thursday that his administration would commit approximately $700 million (about 1.05 trillion won) to support coal-fired power plants and coal export infrastructure.

The move reflects the Trump administration's broader policy of reversing the clean energy agenda of former President Joe Biden's administration while expanding power supply to lower energy costs.

Trump said the package would "protect 14 coal-fired power plants and 42 coal mines" and fund the construction of two new coal plants and one large new export terminal. The new coal plants will be built in Alaska and West Virginia.

He also announced the invocation of the Defense Production Act to support 13 coal-fired power plants across 10 states — West Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana, Tennessee, Arizona, Arkansas, Oklahoma, North Dakota and Wisconsin.

Trump said the West Gateway Project was set to break ground this summer, with more than 12 million metric tons of coal to be exported to countries around the world by the summer of 2028.

The West Gateway Project is a coal export terminal to be built in Oakland, California, designed to ship coal produced in the western United States to overseas markets.

Trump described the announcement as "a historic action to lower energy costs and the cost of living for all Americans through the power of clean, beautiful coal."


mokiya@heraldcorp.com