Trump signals Iran war offramp while administration reexamines NATO
WASHINGTON— President Trump on Wednesday signaled a reversal in the U.S. war with Iran while also raising the possibility of a major shift in U.S. alliances, including a potential withdrawal from NATO.
In his social media post, Trump stated that the Iranian president wants a ceasefire and that the United States would be open to it if Iran agrees to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil shipping route affected by a month-long conflict.
“By then we will destroy Iran, or as they say, return to the Stone Age!!!” Trump wrote.
The remarks appeared to outline a possible diplomatic opening with Tehran, but hours later Iranian officials said Trump’s claims that he was close to a deal were “inaccurate and unfounded” and that the waterway remained “firmly and decisively under the control of Islamic Republic forces.”
The paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said, “The Bosphorus will not be opened to the enemies of this nation with the ridiculous show of the US president.” he wrote in a statement.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also wrote a public letter on Wednesday denouncing what he described as a “flood of distortions and manufactured narratives” about the war coming from the United States, arguing that Iran is not a threat and is merely defending itself against American aggression.
He called on the American people to “look beyond the disinformation machine” to come to their own conclusions about the war and its purpose.
“Is ‘America first’ really a priority for the U.S. government today?” He wrote, echoing recent complaints from Trump’s own base about the president’s adherence to campaign promises.
The dueling messages underlined uncertainty about how long the conflict in the Middle East will last and whether the United States can achieve its main goal of preventing Iran from producing nuclear weapons.
Trump, who said Tuesday he expected the United States to leave Iran within three weeks, was ready to address the nation on the war Wednesday night. The White House said the president’s speech would formally outline the goals of Operation Epic Rage, whose mission has been complicated at times, even as Trump administration officials maintained their commitment to waging the war was “clear and unwavering.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Trump’s speech late Tuesday after Trump downplayed comments made by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about Iran’s ongoing military capabilities.
Prior to those remarks, Trump told Reuters he was considering withdrawing American forces from the region “quickly” and that there was the possibility of returning to Iran periodically for “pinpoint strikes” if necessary.
The president, who said he believes the US military is close to ensuring that Iran loses its ability to have nuclear weapons in the future, does not seem very concerned about Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
“This is so underground, I don’t care about it,” he told Reuters, adding that the US military would “monitor this by satellite.”
But Trump remained focused on Iran’s reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, an oil route through which one-fifth of the world’s oil flows.
This week he said he might withdraw American forces from the region, leaving other countries to deal with obstacles to reopening the waterway. But he appeared to backtrack on that stance on Wednesday, saying a significant part of the ongoing talks depends on Iran lifting its de facto blockade of the strait.
It remains unclear whether Israel, which started bombing Iran along with the USA on February 28, will accept the same conditions as Trump and stop hostilities against Iran.
Talk of a potential end to the conflict sent stocks rising on Tuesday, but it remains unclear whether high food prices will persist for months or longer. It’s also unclear when U.S. gas prices will drop, having averaged more than $4 per gallon this week since 2022.
NATO becomes a factor in the war
While Trump is considering pulling out of Iran, he is also considering pulling out of NATO, telling Reuters that the alliance’s lack of support during the war made him “definitely” considering pulling out of the Senate-confirmed security alliance in 1949.
In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday night, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he plans to “re-examine” the United States’ relationship with NATO and whether it makes sense to be part of a “one-way” alliance.
“Why are we in NATO?” Rubio said. “Why are we sending trillions of dollars and deploying all these Americans to the region if we’re not going to be allowed to use these bases in a time of need?”
Rubio’s comment marks a notable evolution from his position in Congress. As a senator in 2023, Rubio pioneered legislation stating that the president “shall not suspend, terminate, censure, or withdraw the United States from NATO” unless the Senate passes it by a two-thirds vote.
Rubio told CBS on Wednesday that he thinks Congress should play a role in whether the United States should withdraw from NATO. He added that he did not believe Trump would “take us out of NATO” but that he would demand NATO allies “do more.”
Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) said in a joint statement Wednesday that the United States will remain in the agreement and the Senate “will continue to support the alliance for the peace and protection it provides to America, Europe, and the World.”
Although Trump has previously threatened to end US membership in NATO, his latest words have put pressure on European allies to reconsider the terms of their relationship.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said in an X-related post that he had a “constructive discussion” with Trump on NATO on Wednesday.
“Problems need to be solved pragmatically” Stubb wrote.
The meeting came after Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth complained that European countries were hesitant to help the United States in its war against Iran. Just this week Italy And Spain He did not allow US warplanes to land at military bases before flying to the Middle East.
British prime minister Keir Starmer defended NATO on Wednesday, saying it was “the most effective military alliance the world has ever seen” and more generally saying he would not bow to pressure to join the Iran war.
“Whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise, I will act in the British national interest in all the decisions I make.” Starmer told reporters. “So I’ve been absolutely clear that this is not our fight and we will not be dragged into it.”
As diplomatic efforts continue, the Trump administration has increased its military presence in the Middle East; While ground operations continue to be an option in the war, thousands of US soldiers are coming to the region.
The US military buildup in the Middle East took place on Wednesday as conflicts in the Persian Gulf region continued to escalate.
Iran hit an oil tanker off the coast of Qatar, leading to the evacuation of 21 crew members. While there were warnings about the arrival of missiles in Bahrain, Kuwait’s state news agency KUNA reported that a drone hit a fuel depot at Kuwait International Airport. Meanwhile, the Jordanian military intercepted a ballistic missile and two drones fired by Iran, and an airstrike in Tehran appeared to hit the former US Embassy compound.
Additionally, at least five people died in a neighborhood of Beirut in Israeli attacks. Israel invaded southern Lebanon in March after the Iran-linked militant group Hezbollah began firing missiles into northern Israel.
This article contains reporting from the Associated Press.
