Trump denies approving Iran attack plan but will make decision ‘within two weeks'
Donald Trump has denied a report in the Wall Street Journal that he has approved US plans to attack Iran, saying that the news outlet has 'no idea' what his thinking is concerning the Israel-Iran conflict.
He also confirmed, later on Thursday, via his press secretary, that he'd be making a decision within the 'next two weeks'.
The Journal reported late on Wednesday that Trump told senior aides a day earlier that he had approved attack plans but was delaying on giving the final order to see if Tehran would abandon its nuclear program. The report cited three anonymous officials.
On Thursday, Trump responded to the report, posting on Truth Social: 'The Wall Street Journal has No Idea what my thoughts are concerning Iran!'
But Trump's decision is dependent on whether the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) would destroy the Fordow uranium enrichment site, a US official told Axios. Fordow, which is built into a mountain south of Tehran, is a target of Israel's, but they lack the 'bunker-buster bombs' and aircraft needed to destroy it; the US has access to both.
Related: Trump caution on Iran strike linked to doubts over 'bunker buster' bomb, officials say
'We're going to be ready to strike Iran. We're not convinced yet that we're necessary. And we want to be unnecessary, but I think the president's just not convinced we are needed yet,' a US official told the outlet.
Debate within Trump's cabinet and Pentagon chiefs over the effectiveness of the GBU-57s, a 13.6-tonne (30,000lb) bomb, was echoed in Guardian reporting, with Trump reportedly unconvinced of the bomb's efficacy in destroying the complex and the possibility that direct US involvement could be forestalled by negotiations with Iran.
According to two defense officials who were briefed, the thinking is that only a tactical nuclear weapon could be capable of destroying Fordow because of how deeply it is located.
At a White House press call on Thursday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt delivered a message that, she said, came directly from the president, and is attributable to him.
'Based on the fact there's a substantial chance of negotiations, that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,' Leavitt said.
A day earlier, on Wednesday, Trump told reporters: 'I have ideas on what to do but I haven't made a final – I like to make the final decision one second before it's due.'
He added, referring to direct involvement: 'I may do it, I may not do it. The next week is going to be very big, maybe less than a week.'
Iran's mission to the UN issued a statement saying: 'Iran does NOT negotiate under duress, shall NOT accept peace under duress, and certainly NOT with a has-been warmonger clinging to relevance.'
Uncertainty around direct US involvement in the conflict comes as the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, called Trump 'a great friend of Israel' and thanked him 'for standing by us'.
Related: Israeli defence minister says he ordered attacks on Iran to 'undermine regime'
The Pentagon has sent multiple warships to the Middle East, including three navy destroyers and two carrier strike groups, while the state department has ramped up assistance to US citizens advised to leave the region.
Trump's denial of the Journal's report comes as a heated split in the Make America Great Again coalition over support for a strike on Iran appeared to be cooling.
The former Fox primetime host Tucker Carlson and former White House political strategist Steve Bannon had expressed concern that another Middle East military engagement in Iran would run counter to Maga's 'America first' policies.
Bannon said on Wednesday that Trump could win over Maga doubters if he made the case for Iran engagement directly to the American people. Trump also said that Carlson called him to apologize for saying that he 'is complicit in an act of war'.
'Tucker's a nice guy. He called and apologized the other day because he thought he said things that were a little bit too strong, and I appreciated that,' Trump said on Wednesday from the White House.
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