Strike or talk? Trump sets two-week clock on Iran war decision
WASHINGTON, June 20 — US President Donald Trump said yesterday he will decide whether to join Israel's strikes on Iran within the next two weeks as there is still a 'substantial' chance of talks to end the conflict.
Trump's move to hit the pause button could open up space for diplomacy, after days of fevered questions about whether or not he would order US military action against Tehran.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt read out a message from Trump after what she called 'a lot of speculation' about whether the United States would be 'directly involved' in the conflict.
'Based on the fact that 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,' Trump said in the statement.
Trump has set two-week deadlines that subsequently shifted on a series of other tough topics in the past, including the Russia-Ukraine war — but Leavitt denied he was putting off a decision.
'If there's a chance for diplomacy the president's always going to grab it, but he's not afraid to use strength as well,' Leavitt said.
At the same time Leavitt reinforced the sense of urgency, telling reporters that Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in the space of a 'couple of weeks.'
'Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon. All they need is a decision from the supreme leader to do that, and it would take a couple of weeks to complete the production of that weapon,' she said.
Iran denies seeking a nuclear weapon, saying that its program is for peaceful purposes.
'Trust in President Trump'
Trump said on Wednesday that Iran had asked to send officials to the White House to negotiate a deal on its nuclear program and end the conflict with Israel — although Iran denied making any such request.
Washington and Tehran had continued 'correspondence' since Israel first struck Iran last week, Leavitt said.
She said however that there were currently no plans for Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff to join European diplomats meeting Iran's foreign minister in Geneva today.
Trump met his top national security team in the White House Situation Room for the third day in a row yesterday. He will have similar meetings daily until he leaves for a Nato summit in the Netherlands on Monday, the White House said.
His two-week deadline comes after a tense few days in which Trump publicly mulled joining Israel's strikes on Iran and said that Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was an 'easy target.'
Trump had spent weeks pursuing a diplomatic path towards a deal to replace the nuclear deal with Iran that he tore up in his first term in 2018.
But he has since backed Israel's attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities and military top brass, while mulling whether to join in.
A key issue is that the United States is the only country with the huge 'bunker buster' bombs that could destroy Iran's crucial Fordo Iranian nuclear enrichment plant.
'We have capabilities that no other country on this planet possesses,' said Leavitt.
The White House meanwhile urged Trump supporters to 'trust' the president as he decides whether to act.
A number of key figures in his 'Make America Great Again' movement, including commentator Tucker Carlson and former aide Steve Bannon, have vocally opposed US strikes on Iran.
Trump's promise to extract the United States from its 'forever wars' in the Middle East played a role in his 2016 and 2024 election wins.
'Trust in President Trump. President Trump has incredible instincts,' Leavitt said. — AFP
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