As tensions rise sharply in the Middle East, President Donald Trump returned to Washington this week with one message: Tehran is running out of time.
In a series of sharp but measured remarks from the White House, Trump declined to confirm whether a U.S. strike on Iran was imminent. “I may do it, I may not do it,” he told reporters. “Nobody knows what I’m going to do.” What he did make clear, however, is that the days ahead will be anything but routine.
“The next week is going to be very big—maybe less than a week,” he said
The comments came as Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected U.S. overtures for unconditional talks and issued a retaliatory warning: any American strike would carry “irreparable” consequences. Trump’s response? “I say good luck.”
The friction between Washington and Tehran has surged following Israeli military actions targeting Iranian nuclear interests and what Trump describes as a destabilizing campaign by Iran to escalate conflict across the region.
“Iran’s got a lot of trouble,” Trump noted. “But nothing is finished until it is finished”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed Wednesday that the Pentagon has presented Trump with military options. “All scenarios are on the table,” Hegseth said.
While the President remains strategic in tone, he did not hold back in referring to Khamenei as an “easy target”—stressing, however, that “we’re not going to take him out… at least not for now.” That detail alone signals how high the stakes are. Trump added that Iranian officials “continue to reach out” as they feel the pressure of Israeli operations. “They’re getting the hell beaten out of them,” he said.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations issued a statement calling Trump’s remarks false and “cowardly.” Trump, however, remained unfazed.
“They’ve suggested they come to the White House—courageous,” he said
As the U.S. weighs its next move, outside actors are angling to influence the outcome. Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly offered to mediate the situation. Trump’s response was blunt: “Do me a favor, mediate your own,” referring to Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
On Capitol Hill and within conservative circles, opinions vary. Some advisors warn against deepening U.S. involvement. Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon stressed the magnitude of the moment:
Still, others inside Trump’s base remain staunchly supportive. “There is zero possibility of American boots on the ground in Iran,” said Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Trump himself dismissed concerns about political fallout. “My supporters are more in love with me today than they were even at election time,” he said.
“We had a total landslide”
With Biden’s administration struggling to maintain a foothold in global diplomacy, Trump’s assertive posture stands in stark contrast. His call to Tehran is simple: abandon the nuclear program, or face consequences.
What happens next may reshape the region—and the 2024 campaign. For now, all eyes are on what this “very big” week brings.
