President Donald Trump in about eight hours Monday went from suggesting a nuclear deal with Iran remained achievable to urging Tehran’s 9.5 million residents to flee for their lives as he cut short his visit to an international summit to return to Washington for urgent talks with his national security team.
He was expected to arrive at the White House early Tuesday at a moment of choosing in his presidency. Israel, with five days of missile strikes, has done considerable damage to Iran and believes it can now deal a permanent blow to Tehran’s nuclear programme - particularly if it gets a little more help from Trump.
But deepening American involvement, perhaps by providing the Israelis with bunker-busting bombs to penetrate Iranian nuclear sites built deep underground or offering other direct U.S. Military support, comes with enormous political risk for Trump.
Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, it’s very simple, Trump told reporters on Air Force One during his overnight flight back to Washington.
He accused Iranian leaders of being unwilling to reach an agreement over their nuclear programme, and suggested he was now less interested in talking with them.
They should have done the deal. I told them, do the deal, Trump said. So I don’t know. I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate.
The Republican president, who said he plans to meet with advisers in the Situation Room, appears to be gradually building the public case for a more direct American role in the conflict. His shift in tone comes as the US Has repositioned warships and military aircraft in the region to respond if the conflict between Israel and Iran further escalates.
Trump made an early departure from G7
The White House announced Monday, while Trump was at the Group of Seven summit in the Canadian Rockies, that the president would be cutting his trip short.
Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON, he wrote on social media. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!
Asked about his evacuation comments aboard Air Force One, Trump told reporters that I just want people to be safe.
He also insisted French President Emmanuel Macron was wrong to say the US Was working on a ceasefire.
We’re looking at better than a ceasefire. We’re not looking for a ceasefire, Trump said, adding that Macron is a nice guy but he doesn’t get it right too often.
Trump said he wasn’t ruling out a diplomatic option, and he could send Vice President JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with the Iranians. It depends on what happens when I get back, he said.
He also dismissed congressional testimony from National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, who told lawmakers in March that U.S. Spy agencies did not believe Iran was building a nuclear weapon.
I don’t care what she said, Trump said. I think they were very close to having it.
Speculation grows that Trump may be tilting toward more direct involvement
The Israelis say their offensive has eviscerated Iran’s air defences and they can now strike targets across the country at will. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the Israeli bombardment will continue until Iran’s nuclear programme and ballistic missiles are destroyed.
So far, Israel has targeted multiple Iranian nuclear programme sites but has not been able to destroy Iran’s Fordo uranium enrichment facility.
The site is buried deep underground - and to eliminate it, Israel may need the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, which uses its weight and sheer kinetic force to reach deeply buried targets and then explode. But Israel does not have the munition or the bomber needed to deliver it - the penetrator is currently delivered by the B-2 stealth bomber.
Israel’s own defenses remain largely intact in the face of Iran’s retaliatory strikes, but some of Tehran’s missiles are getting through and having deadly impact.
The White House, soon after announcing Trump was returning to Washington, dispatched Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for a prime-time Fox News appearance as speculation grows about whether Trump could be tilting toward more direct U.S. Involvement.
Hegseth told Fox News’ Jesse Watters that of course Trump wanted to see a deal made to curb Iran’s nuclear programme.
His position has not changed, Hegseth said. What you’re watching in real time is peace through strength and America first. Our job is to be strong. We are postured defensively in the region to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal. And we certainly hope that’s what happens here.