Trump opted for talks with Iran on nuclear deal rather than Israeli-led strikes

President Donald Trump opted to engage in diplomatic talks with Iran on a nuclear deal rather than go ahead with Israeli proposed strikes on the nation. Officials with the Trump administration who spoke with The New York Times indicated that while Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu was interested in attacking Iran, Trump told him during their White House meeting that he would instead begin talks.

Netanyahu had other ideas on how to deal with Iran, namely engaging US military support to attack Iran, and his timeline was to start the whole thing as soon as May. Trump, the Times reported, "made his decision after months of internal debate over whether to pursue diplomacy or support Israel in seeking to set back Iran’s ability to build a bomb, at a time when Iran has been weakened militarily and economically."

Israel had come up with May attack plans and were hoping that the US would sign off on those plans. Their interest was to put at least a year's long pause on Iran's ability to generate nuclear weapons. To pull it off, the US would have had to have been deeply involved, not only signing off, but pledging to defend Israel from Iranian retaliation and to aid in Israel's success with their mission.

After being informed that the US preferred diplomacy to military action, Netanyahu said that an agreement would only be effective if those opposed to Iran's nuclear program were able to "go in, blow up the facilities, dismantle all the equipment, under American supervision with American execution."

Iran has been behind the Palestinian Hamas terror group, which carried out a violent strike on Israel in October 2023 and is still holding hostages they kidnapped during that assault that stole the lives of 1,200 people, Lebanon's Hezbollah terror group, and Yemen's Houthi rebels. 

The Times reports that "Gen. Michael E. Kurilla, the head of U.S. Central Command, and Michael Waltz, the national security adviser, both discussed how the United States could potentially support an Israeli attack, if Mr. Trump backed the plan, according to officials briefed on the discussions."

DNI Tulsi Gabbard, however, offered an intelligence assessment that considered the potential for US military involvement to make things worse and create a broader conflagration in the region. Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Vice President JD Vance all concurred with Gabbard that concern was warranted. 

If the talks with Iran fail to produce results, Trump could change his perspective on an Israeli attack.

"President Trump has been clear: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and all options remain on the table," said National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes. "The president has authorized direct and indirect discussions with Iran to make this point clear. But he’s also made clear this cannot go on indefinitely."