U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he has not yet made a final decision on whether the United States will join Israel in military strikes against Iran, keeping both allies and adversaries guessing as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate.
Speaking to reporters during the unveiling of one of two giant new flagpoles at the White House, Trump remained noncommittal about potential military action. “I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do,” he said. “I have ideas as to what to do, but I haven’t made a final [decision]. I like to make the final decision one second before it’s due, because things change — especially with war.”
The president convened his second Situation Room meeting in two days, with another scheduled for Thursday, a national holiday in the U.S. According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump has already approved attack plans but is holding off to see if Iran halts its nuclear ambitions.
Trump claimed Iran is now seeking negotiations at the White House but warned that such outreach may have come too late. “They want to come to the White House, I may do that,” he said, though he added, “There’s a big difference between now and a week ago.” Iran has denied any such diplomatic overture, with its mission to the United Nations posting on X, “No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House.”
The president also reiterated his belief that Iran is only “weeks” away from developing a nuclear bomb and highlighted the U.S.’s unique capacity to strike Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear facility. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going to do it,” he added.
Trump confirmed ongoing daily conversations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he urged to “keep going” with Israel’s offensive against Iran. However, he rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin’s offer to mediate the conflict. “Do me a favor, mediate your own. Let’s mediate Russia first, okay?” Trump quipped, referencing the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Thursday, with Iran expected to top the agenda.
As the region teeters on the brink of broader conflict, Trump’s unpredictability and shifting rhetoric have added a layer of uncertainty to one of the most consequential foreign policy decisions of his presidency.
Written By Rodney Mbua
