Trump Weighs Early Limited Strike After Issuing Iran Nuclear Deal Deadline
Welcome to the US politics live blog. I’m Tom Ambrose, bringing you the latest updates over the coming hours.
Reports indicate that Donald Trump is contemplating an early, limited military strike aimed at compelling Iran to negotiate. Such a strike would likely target select government buildings or military sites and be calibrated to avoid provoking a full-scale Iranian retaliation, according to the Wall Street Journal.
An unnamed official told the Journal that Trump’s aides have also discussed larger-scale operations, potentially involving escalating strikes with the ultimate goal of halting Iran’s nuclear program or causing the collapse of its government.
These reports follow Trump’s public statement giving Iran “10 to 15 days” to reach a deal regarding its nuclear program, while the US continues a significant military buildup in the region.
“We’re either going to get a deal, or it’s going to be unfortunate for them,” Trump said to reporters aboard Air Force One yesterday.
He added that negotiations might be extended for another 10 to 15 days, describing this timeframe as “pretty much” the “maximum.”
“I would think that would be enough time,” Trump stated.
The US has maintained the option of military action against Iran, concurrently deploying the largest force buildup in the region since the Iraq invasion 23 years ago, according to reports.
Since the start of the year, the US has moved two aircraft carriers, fighter jets, and refueling tankers into the region, enabling the possibility of a sustained campaign lasting several days in coordination with Israel.
Donald Trump, who recently commented on the popularity of his predecessor Barack Obama’s remarks about extraterrestrial life, is directing the Department of Defense and other agencies to release any files they hold on the search for alien life.
Sky Roberts, brother of the late Virginia Giuffre, told CNN that Trump “is potentially implicated” by the Epstein files and “may have to answer some questions.” Trump has denied any wrongdoing and claimed to have been “exonerated” by the Epstein files.
English far-right activist Tommy Robinson, previously denied entry to the US multiple times, spent Thursday in Washington DC meeting individuals close to Trump, as shown in images and videos posted on his social media accounts.
FBI Director Kash Patel traveled to Italy to attend the men’s ice hockey medal matches, reportedly costing taxpayers up to $75,000, according to reports.
The husband of Trump’s labor secretary, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, has reportedly been barred from the Labor Department’s headquarters in Washington DC after at least two female staff members accused him of sexual assault.
Trump told supporters in Georgia that recent media coverage of the cost-of-living crisis has declined, stating,
“Because I’ve won, I’ve won affordability.”
Rubio to Meet UK Foreign Minister Amid Tensions Over Joint Air Base
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet with Britain’s Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper today, following renewed criticism from Trump regarding London’s decision to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, home to a US-UK air base.
Last year, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed to transfer sovereignty of the Indian Ocean islands to Mauritius, while retaining control of Diego Garcia through a 99-year lease that preserves US operations at the base.
Washington initially approved the agreement, but Trump has since reversed his stance multiple times. In January, he called it an act of “great stupidity,” though earlier this month he acknowledged it was the best deal Starmer could make, before renewing his criticism this week.
The Diego Garcia base has recently supported operations in the Middle East against Yemen’s Houthis and provided humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Although Rubio’s State Department stated support for the Chagos accord on Tuesday, Trump contradicted this the following day, tweeting,
“DO NOT GIVE AWAY DIEGO GARCIA!”
He warned the base could be crucial in any future military operation to “eradicate a potential attack.”
Under the terms of the joint base’s use, Britain must consent in advance to any operations launched from Diego Garcia.
Second Carrier Strike Group Deploys as US Considers Early Military Action
Experts note that the US already has sufficient military assets in the Middle East to initiate an aerial bombing campaign against Iran, potentially in coordination with Israel, though the strategic outcomes remain uncertain.
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and accompanying warships have been stationed in the Arabian Sea for nearly a month, deploying nine squadrons of aircraft, including F-35 Lightning IIs and F/A-18 Super Hornets.
A second carrier strike group, led by the USS Gerald R. Ford, was last confirmed in the Atlantic west of Morocco on Tuesday. It is expected to transit the Strait of Gibraltar en route to the eastern Mediterranean, a journey of several days.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, recently sailed from the Caribbean Sea, where last month it participated in a night raid on a fortified compound.
Together, these carrier strike groups could generate “several hundred strike sorties a day for a few weeks, an intensity greater than during the 12-days war,” according to Matthew Savill, director of military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute.
Even without the USS Gerald R. Ford, aircraft from the USS Abraham Lincoln could conduct 125 or more bombing missions daily, providing the US with the capability to launch an aerial campaign against Iranian government and military targets if ordered by President Trump.
Aviation experts have observed a significant movement of military aircraft to the Middle East as US pressure on Iran intensifies. Critical command and control aircraft have been deployed to Prince Sultan Airbase in Saudi Arabia, relocated from the US and Japan to support real-time operations.
