Amid growing tensions between the US and Iran, Donald Trump issued fresh threats against the country on Thursday but said he hopes to avoid military action against the nation.
The President also mentioned that he is hoping to have further discussions about a potential nuclear deal with Tehran. His threat came as the United States increased its military presence in the Middle East.
On Thursday, January 29, 2026, during the premiere of the Melania movie, the POTUS confirmed that the US military presence in the Middle East is ramping up. However, he also expressed a preference for diplomacy.
“I built up the military in my first term, and now we have a group headed out to a place called Iran, and hopefully we won’t have to use it,” said Trump. He was then asked if there would be any talks between the US and Iran.
“…Hopefully Iran will quickly “Come to the Table” and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL…” – President DONALD J. TRUMP pic.twitter.com/H6qLbw3Ndi
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 28, 2026
In response, the Republican leader said, “We have a lot of very big, very powerful ships sailing to Iran right now. And it would be great if we didn’t have to use them.”
He added, “I told them two things: Number one, no nuclear. And number two, stop killing protestors… They’re going to have to do something.”
Trump’s comments came at a time when the tensions between Washington and Tehran are rapidly increasing, as the United States continues to deploy warships and air assets across the Middle East.
During a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also issued a threat to Iran. He said that if the country pursues nuclear weapons, the US military will remain prepared to act under Trump’s orders.
🚨🇺🇸🇮🇷 TRUMP BRIEFED ON “BIG” PLAN TO BOMB IRAN
The White House and Pentagon have presented multiple attack options, including a large-scale bombing campaign targeting regime and IRGC facilities.
Less aggressive options include strikes on symbolic targets with room to escalate,… https://t.co/L9kvRB6l2W pic.twitter.com/5LXDkeAwdM
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 29, 2026
Hegseth also referred to possible strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. “When President Trump said, ‘We’re not getting a nuclear Iran,’ he meant it,” said the Secretary of War.
According to CNN sources, as anti-Khamenei protests continue in the nation, Donald Trump is allegedly weighing a large-scale attack on the Islamic Republic.
According to Reuters, after Iran’s harsh crackdown on protestors earlier this month, US officials even called for a “regime change.” The anti-regime protests that have broken out nationwide is one of the biggest in Iran’s history.
However, Trump’s feud with the country goes way back, when he constantly pressured Tehran to discard its nuclear ambitions.
