President Donald Trump claimed Tuesday that Iran has given up its nuclear ambitions as he said both Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are leading peace negotiations.
He also revealed that his Secretary of War Pete Hegseth was not so keen on there being a diplomatic resolution as the war enters its fourth week.
‘Pete didn’t want it to be settled,’ Trump said.
On Monday, Trump announced a five-day halt to US strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure while pursuing back-channel talks with Tehran through intermediaries, signaling he may be looking for a way out.
But despite the dialogue with Tehran, the US is considering deploying around 3,000 troops to support a possible ground invasion, joining thousands of Marines already dispatched to the Middle East.
Trump gave an update on Iran as he swore in ex-Senator Markwayne Mullin to take over the Department of Homeland Security from the ousted Kristi Noem.
In the Oval Office on Tuesday afternoon, he was asked what made him start pursuing a ceasefire when he previously spoke of wanting to continue bombing Iran.
‘They’re talking to us, and they’re talking sense,’ the President replied.
He explained that the priority of the conflict was to ensure Iran didn’t build a nuclear weapon.
‘I don’t want to say in advance, but they’ve agreed they will never have a nuclear weapon,’ Trump said.
