WASHINGTON ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” President said Wednesday he doesnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t want to carry out a U.S. strike on Iran but suggested he stands ready to act if itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s necessary to extinguish IranÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s nuclear program.
Trump continued his increasingly pointed warnings about the U.S. joining Israel in striking at TehranÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s nuclear program as IranÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s leader warned anew that the United States would be greeted with stiff retaliation if it attacks.
The stakes are high for Trump ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” and the world ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” as he engages in a push-pull debate between his goals of avoiding dragging the U.S. into another war and preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m not looking to fight,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œBut if itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a choice between fighting and having a nuclear weapon, you have to do what you have to do.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Trump also told reporters that itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s not ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œtoo lateÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ for Iran to give up its nuclear program. He added that he would hold a Situation Room meeting with his national security aides as he works through his options for how the U.S. should respond to Iran.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI may do it, I may not do it,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Trump said of a potential U.S. strike in another exchange with reporters at the White House on Wednesday. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI mean, nobody knows what IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m going to do.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œNothing is finished until it is finished,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ he added, signaling a decision could soon. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe next week is going to be very big ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” maybe less than a week.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Trump also offered a terse response to Supreme Leader Ayatollah refusal to heed to his call for Iran to submit to an unconditional surrender.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI say good luck,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Trump said.
Khamenei earlier in the day warned that any U.S. strikes targeting the Islamic Republic will ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œresult in irreparable damage for themÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ and that his country would not bow to TrumpÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s call for surrender.
Defense Secretary told lawmakers that the Pentagon was to Trump as he decides .
had said Tuesday the U.S. knows where is hiding but doesnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t want him killed ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œfor now.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHe is an easy target, but is safe there ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Trump said.
TrumpÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s increasingly muscular comments toward the Iranian government follow him to flee for their lives as he cut short his participation in an international summit earlier this week to return to Washington for urgent talks with his national security team.
Trump said that the Iranian officials continue to reach out to the White House as theyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œgetting the hell beaten out of themÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ by Israel. But he added thereÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œbig difference between now and a week agoÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ in TehranÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s negotiating position.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œTheyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ve suggested that they come to the White HouseÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” thatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s, you know, courageous,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Trump said.
IranÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s mission to the United Nations rejected TrumpÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s claim in a statement on social media. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œNo Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House. The only thing more despicable than his lies is his cowardly threat to ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥˜take outÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
The U.S. president said earlier this week Russian President offered to serve as a mediator with Iran. But Trump said he told Putin to keep focused on finding an endgame to his own conflict with Ukraine.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI said, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥˜Do me a favor, mediate your own,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Trump said he told Putin. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI said, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥˜Vladimir, letÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s mediate Russia first. You can worry about this later.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
The comments represented a shift for Trump, who earlier this week said he was ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œopenÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ to PutinÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s offer to mediate.
RussiaÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said earlier Wednesday that Moscow has cautioned Washington against offering direct military assistance to Israel.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe are warning Washington against even speculative, hypothetical considerations of the sort,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Ryabkov said, according to the Interfax news agency. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThat would be a step drastically destabilizing the situation as a whole.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
The has deepened since Putin launched a war on Ukraine in February 2022, with Tehran providing Moscow with drones, ballistic missiles, and other support, according to U.S. intelligence findings.
Trump is also facing growing skepticism about deepening U.S. involvement in the Mideast crisis from some of his most ardent supporters. Trump during his 2024 run for the White House promised voters he would quickly end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and keep the U.S. out of costly conflicts.
Steve Bannon, who served as a senior adviser to Trump during his first administration, said the administration should tread carefully.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThis is one of the most ancient civilizations in the world, ok?ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Bannon told reporters at an event sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWith 92 million people. This is not something you play around with. You have to think this through. And the American people have to be on board. You canÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t just dump it on them.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Bannon and other Trump allies, including , have raised concerns that direct U.S. involvement in the conflict could be seen as a betrayal to some members of TrumpÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s coalition and cause a schism in MAGA world.
To be certain, some Trump backers are supportive of the president taking military action against Iran and play down the risk of the U.S. getting mired in a conflict.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIn terms of U.S. involvement in military action, there is zero possibility of American boots on the ground in Iran,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said.
Trump pushed back at the notion that deepening U.S. involvement could impact his standing with his base.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œMy supporters are more in love with me today, and IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m in love with them more than they were even at election time when we had a total landslide,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Trump said.
