Trump Signals Iran Talks While Military Options Remain on Table
Trump says Iran wants to negotiate a deal, but the WSJ reports he's weighing expanded military operations including airstrikes and island seizures.
President Donald Trump, speaking on Fox Business, indicated that Iran has expressed interest in reaching a diplomatic settlement, saying the country "wants to meet" and "wants to settle." The remarks suggest a window for negotiation remains open, even as the broader geopolitical standoff over Iran's nuclear ambitions intensifies. Trump offered no timeline or specifics on what a deal might look like, leaving markets and allies to parse his words carefully.
At the same time, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump is leaning toward expanding U.S. military operations against Iran following days of high-level briefings. The options reportedly under consideration are significant in scope: stepped-up airstrikes, the deployment of ground forces to seize Iranian islands near the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, and strikes on a fortified facility suspected of housing covert nuclear work. The WSJ noted that no final decision has been made, and that Trump's stated preference remains a diplomatic resolution — a tension that defines the current posture.
Read more Iran Holds Strait of Hormuz Talks With Saudi Arabia and Oman →
The dual-track signaling — talk of deals alongside escalating military planning — is a recognizable feature of this administration's negotiating style, applying maximum pressure while keeping diplomatic doors ajar. What makes the current moment more combustible is geography: the Strait of Hormuz is the chokepoint through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil supply passes, and any military activity in that corridor would carry immediate consequences for global energy markets.
Trump acknowledged as much, saying oil prices will "yo-yo for a while." He also struck a broadly dovish tone on domestic monetary policy, expressing a preference for lower interest rates while accepting a Fed pause over any potential hike. On the Fed itself, Trump noted he has respect for Chair Kevin Warsh but raised questions about the composition of Warsh's board, suggesting it may be "hostile" — a comment likely to draw scrutiny given ongoing tensions between the White House and the central bank.
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