CNN
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President Donald Trump said early Tuesday he was seeking a “real end” to the Israeli-Iran conflict, suggesting his lack of patience in negotiations, while claiming that the outcome is better than a ceasefire.
Comments made to reporters when he returned to Washington after suddenly cutting his time in a group at Canada’s seven summits provided an up-to-date window into Trump’s thinking while considering options for him to engage in the ongoing conflict.
Trump was scheduled to meet with members of his national security team in the White House situation room on Tuesday. Israel has been pushing Trump to become more involved in the campaign to demolish Iran’s nuclear facilities. Iran’s nuclear facility says the country’s top officials need American weapons and planes.
The president was little clear about whether he would be in the pressure.
Trump provided a somewhat mixed message as the front and back of Iran and Israel enters the fifth day. He has encouraged Tehran to return to diplomatic consultations intended to curb its nuclear ambitions, but he has also warned Iranians to urgently evacuate their capital and dismiss reports that he is reaching out to Iran for consultation.
“I didn’t say I was looking for a ceasefire,” he said he was in Air Force 1. “We’re looking for something better than a ceasefire.”
He said his purpose in Iran is to “a real end, not an end, a ceasefire, but a real end” or “give up completely.” Trump previously said Iran must abandon its nuclear program, claiming on Tuesday that Iran is “very close” to developing nuclear weapons, despite his own assessment from his intelligence chief that such outcomes are not imminent.
He was asked if there was any guarantee that US bombs could actually reach underground Iranian nuclear bunkers and destroy them, Trump said, “There is no guarantee.”
Officials told CNN on Monday that Trump had instructed his team, including envoy, Steve Witkov, to try to meet with Iranian negotiators this week, but the president heard of the uncommitted talks.
Trump said he was considering sending Witkov and Vice President JD Vance to negotiate, but he said “it will depend on what happens when I come back.”
“I don’t feel like negotiating that much,” he said later, adding that the next 48 hours will reveal whether Israel plans to slow or accelerate its attack on Iran.
“No one’s been late so far,” Trump said.
Asked about his social media post on Monday night, everyone in Iranian capital Tehran called for evacuation, and he said there was no concrete threat to the roughly 10 million cities.
“I want people to be safe,” he said. “It can always be something. I just want people to be safe.”
He then warned Iran that targeting American troops in the region would lead to a dramatic escalation of the conflict.
“We’re going down very hard, it’s going to be around the gloves,” he responded.
Back at the White House Tuesday morning, Trump posted a message he received from Israeli ambassador Mike Huckabee, admitting that the president “speaks a lot of voices to you,” but encouraged him to be open to divine intervention.
“I believe you’ll hear from heaven, and that voice is much more important than mine or someone else,” Huckabee writes.