Trump Weighs Iran Strike in High-Stakes Situation Room Talks/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump is holding a series of Situation Room meetings to decide whether the U.S. will launch military strikes on Iran. Top officials, including Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth, are advising amid rising fears over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. A decision is expected within two weeks.
Trump’s Iran Dilemma Unfolds in the Situation Room Quick Looks
- Trump holds multiple high-level meetings over Iran strike options
- Situation Room revived for critical decisions amid rising conflict
- Iran pulled out of U.S. nuclear talks scheduled in Oman
- Top officials include Secretary Rubio, VP Vance, and DNI Gabbard
- Trump vows Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon”
Trump Weighs Iran Strike in High-Stakes Situation Room Talks
Deep Look
President Donald Trump has returned to the White House Situation Room this week for a series of tense, high-level meetings as his administration weighs whether to launch a U.S. military strike on Iran. With nuclear fears mounting and diplomacy on pause, Trump’s decision—expected within two weeks—could reshape the balance of power in the Middle East.
The latest developments follow Israel’s preemptive June 12 strikes on Iranian nuclear sites under “Operation Rising Lion.” Since then, Tehran has retaliated, raising fears of full-scale war.
Trump has publicly stated, “Yes, I may do it. I may not do it,” referring to a possible strike on Iran’s heavily fortified Fordo nuclear site. “Iran could have signed a deal and avoided all of this,” he said this week, blaming the regime’s delay for escalating tensions.
The Situation Room—originally created by President Kennedy after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion—has once again become the nerve center for U.S. crisis management. It’s where Trump has convened top advisers for daily sessions since abruptly leaving the G7 summit in Canada. Intelligence briefings and military updates are being led by a slimmed-down but influential team: Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, DNI Tulsi Gabbard, Vice President JD Vance, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
Former Trump officials say the weight of such discussions is unmistakable. Kayleigh McEnany, former press secretary, recalled her own Situation Room experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s humbling,” she said. “It’s 5,000 square feet of global strategy, with clocks ticking from around the world. When Trump enters, there’s focus—he listens, he asks, and he decides.”
John Bolton, Trump’s former national security advisor, described the deliberative structure inside the Room:
“There are two kinds of meetings—principals meetings, which frame the options, and full NSC meetings, where the president leads the conversation. These sessions produce real decisions.”
This week, Trump chaired both. Each briefing has been aimed at refining intelligence and outlining military and diplomatic scenarios. The urgency is driven by Trump’s July 9 deadline for global trading partners to negotiate new deals or face heavy tariffs, but it’s Iran that dominates the agenda.
Iran has pulled out of upcoming U.S.-led nuclear talks in Oman. Tehran’s defiance, combined with its missile program and enriched uranium reserves, has reignited fears it may soon produce a nuclear weapon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists his country had no choice but to act and warns the U.S. may face the same imperative.
As the world watches for a tipping point, Trump continues to project both resolve and ambiguity. “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” he posted on Truth Social. “I’ve said it again and again. Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Thursday that Trump is “the peacemaker-in-chief” but remains willing to use force if necessary. “He believes in peace through strength. He’ll take the diplomatic path if it exists. But he won’t hesitate to protect American and allied interests,” she said.
With few details on the classified contents of the Situation Room briefings, the global stakes remain clear. Trump’s looming decision could trigger U.S. military action against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure—possibly including a direct strike on Fordo, which experts say is immune to anything but America’s most powerful “bunker-buster” bombs.
For now, the Situation Room remains active, guarded, and intensely focused as Trump’s team prepares for what could be the most consequential foreign policy choice of his second term.
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