U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he would make a decision within the next two weeks on whether the United States will join Israel in its military campaign against Iran, emphasizing that there remains a “significant” window for diplomatic resolution.
The president’s remarks signal a deliberate pause amid rising tensions, potentially creating an opening for negotiations following intense speculation over possible American involvement in the conflict.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, addressing reporters, delivered Trump’s message in response to what she described as “widespread speculation” over the extent of U.S. engagement, clarifying that no immediate military action is on the table.
“Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,” Trump said in the statement.
Trump has set two-week deadlines that subsequently shifted on a series of other tough topics in the past, including the Russia-Ukraine war — but Leavitt denied he was putting off a decision.
“If there’s a chance for diplomacy, the president’s always going to grab it, but he’s not afraid to use strength as well,” Leavitt said.
At the same time, Leavitt reinforced the sense of urgency, telling reporters that Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in the space of a “couple of weeks.”
“Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon. All they need is a decision from the supreme leader to do that, and it would take a couple of weeks to complete the production of that weapon,” she said.
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Iran has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful in nature and denies any intention of developing nuclear weapons.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump claimed that Tehran had reached out with a request to send envoys to the White House to discuss a potential nuclear agreement and explore avenues to de-escalate tensions with Israel—a claim Iranian officials have publicly denied.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that indirect communication between Washington and Tehran has persisted since Israel launched strikes on Iranian territory last week. However, she clarified that there are currently no plans for Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to participate in Friday’s diplomatic meeting in Geneva, where European officials are scheduled to engage with Iran’s foreign minister.