President Trump said in a statement released by the White House on Thursday that he will make a decision on whether or not to directly enter the Israel-Iran war by launching airstrikes within two weeks.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt read the statement at a press briefing. “Based on the fact that there is a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place in the near future, I will make my decision of whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” she said.
When asked what Trump’s demands were for a diplomatic solution with Iran, Leavitt said Tehran must give up its nuclear enrichment program, a condition Tehran has made clear is a non-starter. Iranian officials have also said they’re not willing to negotiate while Israel is attacking Iran.
Reuters reported on Thursday that US envoy Steve Witkoff has spoken by phone with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi several times since Israel launched the war last week. Diplomats said that Aragchi’s message was that Iran could return to nuclear negotiations and “show flexibility” but only if Israel’s attacks come to an end.
The statement from Trump regarding the timeline on his decision came after The Wall Street Journal reported that the president has approved plans to attack Iran but is waiting to give the final order. Trump said on Thursday that the paper “has No Idea what my thoughts are concerning Iran!”
Bloomberg also reported on Wednesday that US officials are preparing to launch strikes on Iran in the coming days, making this weekend a potential time for the attacks to begin. Iran has vowed it will hit back hard, and Iranian missile attacks on US bases in the region could cause significant American casualties.
Israel is expecting the US to join the war and wants the US to drop its heavy bunker buster bombs on Iran’s Fordow nuclear site, which is buried deep underground. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials have made it increasingly clear that their real goal may be regime change.
While Tel Aviv expects the U.S. to join the strikes on #Iran within 24–48 hours (Times of #Israel), President Trump has publicly stated that he will need two weeks to make a final decision. This contrast reveals several strategic layers:
1.Deliberate, not hesitant: Trump’s…— Navvar Şaban نوار شعبان قباقيبو (@NavvarSaban) June 19, 2025
Netanyahu launched the war under the pretext of stopping Iran from building a nuclear weapon, but the consensus of US intelligence before the attack was that Tehran wasn’t working toward a bomb.
Iran made it clear in negotiations with the US that it was willing to re-commit to never develop nuclear weapons, reduce uranium enrichment to low levels, increase oversight, and get rid of its stockpile of uranium enriched at the 60% level.
Source: Antiwar.com
President Trump said on Wednesday that he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call a day earlier to “keep going” with his attacks on Iran.
The president told reporters that Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for his role in war crimes in Gaza, is a “good man” who has been treated “very unfairly” by his own country. “He’s a wartime president. Going through this nonsense — ridiculous,” Trump said.
Trump’s comments about Netanyahu come amid anticipation over whether or not the US will enter Israel’s war with Iran directly by launching airstrikes. The US has supported the assault by providing weapons and intelligence and intercepting Iranian missiles and drones, but so far hasn’t launched direct strikes of its own.
The president also said on Wednesday that “nobody knows” whether he’ll enter the war or not. When asked if he was moving closer on a decision to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities, Trump said, “You don’t know that I’m going to even do it. You don’t know. I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do. I can tell you this, that Iran’s got a lot of trouble.”
In other comments to the press, Trump said he wasn’t interested in an Israel-Iran ceasefire. “We’re not looking for a ceasefire. We’re looking for a total and complete victory. Again, you know what the victory is: no nuclear weapon,” he said.
Netanyahu launched his war of aggression against Iran under the pretext of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, but US intelligence assessed before the attacks that Tehran was not pursuing a nuclear bomb.
Source: Antiwar.com
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