Reflecting On 2 Weeks, Trump Interested In Iran-Israel Diplomatic Solutions But Ready To Attack

JAKARTA - President Donald Trump will decide in the next two weeks whether the United States (US) will engage in the Israeli-Iran air war.

"Based on the fact that there are most likely negotiations that may or may not occur with Iran in the near future, I will make a decision whether to leave in the next two weeks or not," White House Press Secretary Krypto Leavitt said.

Leavitt said in a routine briefing at the White House that Trump was interested in working on a diplomatic solution with Iran, but his top priority was to ensure Iran could not acquire nuclear weapons.

He said any deal should ban Tehran's enrichment of uranium and eliminate Iran's ability to acquire nuclear weapons.

"The president is always interested in diplomatic solutions, if there is an opportunity for diplomacy, the president will always take advantage of it," Leavitt said.

"But he is also not afraid to use force," he added.

Trump's position made the world wonder about his plans, turning from proposing a fast diplomatic solution to suggesting the US might join the fighting on the part of Israel.

On Wednesday, the Republican president said no one knew what he was going to do. The day before he reflected on social media about the murder of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, then demanded Iran surrender unconditionally.

But the opposition said in the five months since returning to office Trump had issued a series of deadlines - including for the warring Russia and Ukraine and other countries in trading rate negotiations - simply to suspend the deadline or let it pass.

"I think fighting with Iran is a bad idea, but no one believes in this 'two-week' statement," Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said on social media platform X.

"He's used it millions of times before to pretend he might do something he didn't. It just makes America look weak and ridiculous," he continued.