WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said Monday that the US is “not looking for a ceasefire,” but rather a “real end” to the conflict over Iran’s nuclear program, and that, after two months of talks in which Iran refused to dismantle its program, he is “not in the mood to negotiate.”
The remarks from Trump, who said he plans to meet with advisers in the Situation Room, came as the US has repositioned warships and military aircraft in the region to respond if the conflict between Israel and Iran further escalates.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, however, said Trump’s position has not changed, and the forces in the Mideast and Europe are defensive.
Trump arrived at the White House early Tuesday at a decisive moment in his presidency. Israel has done considerable damage to Iran and believes it can now deal a permanent blow to Tehran’s nuclear program, especially if it has US help.
But increased American involvement could drive Iran to target American forces in the region, and some influential parts of Trump’s base have been vocally opposed to his support for Israel’s strikes thus far.
“Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, it’s very simple,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One during his overnight flight back to Washington.
“They should have done the deal. I told them, do the deal,” he said. “So I don’t know. I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate.”
The White House announced Monday, while Trump was at the Group of Seven summit in the Canadian Rockies, that the president would be cutting his trip short.
“Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” he wrote on social media. “I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
Asked about his evacuation comments aboard Air Force One, Trump told reporters that “I just want people to be safe.”
He also insisted French President Emmanuel Macron was wrong to say the US was working on a ceasefire.
“We’re looking at better than a ceasefire. We’re not looking for a ceasefire,” Trump said, adding that Macron is a “nice guy but he doesn’t get it right too often.”
Trump said he wasn’t ruling out a diplomatic option, and he could send Vice President JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with the Iranians.
“It depends on what happens when I get back,” he said.
He also dismissed congressional testimony from US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, who told lawmakers in March that US spy agencies did not believe Iran was building a nuclear weapon.
“I don’t care what she said,” Trump said. “I think they were very close to having it.”
Iran, which vows to destroy Israel, has always denied any ambition to develop nuclear weapons, but its enrichment levels are far beyond any civilian purpose and the IAEA says it has obstructed inspectors from visiting its nuclear sites.
Since launching its attacks on Friday, Israel has targeted multiple Iranian nuclear program sites but has not been able to destroy Iran’s Fordo uranium enrichment facility.
The site is buried deep underground, and to eliminate it, Israel may need the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, which uses its weight and sheer kinetic force to reach deeply buried targets and then explode. But Israel does not have the munition or the bomber needed to deliver it — the penetrator is currently delivered by the B-2 stealth bomber.
Israel’s own defenses remain largely intact in the face of Iran’s retaliatory strikes, but some of Tehran’s missiles are getting through and having deadly impact.
The White House, soon after announcing Trump was returning to Washington, dispatched US Defense Secretary Hegseth for a prime-time Fox American appearance as speculation grows about whether Trump could be tilting toward more direct US involvement.
Hegseth told Fox News’ Jesse Watters that “of course” Trump wanted to see a deal made to curb Iran’s nuclear program.
“His position has not changed,” he said. “What you’re watching in real time is peace through strength and America first. Our job is to be strong. We are postured defensively in the region to be strong in pursuit of a peace deal. And we certainly hope that’s what happens here.”