President Donald Trump issued his first response to Israel’s strikes against Iran on Friday morning, pressing Tehran to make a deal with the United States “before there is nothing left.”
Israel began launching coordinated strikes against Iranian military and nuclear targets late Thursday evening. Just hours earlier, Trump confirmed to reporters that he had warned Israel not to carry out the planned strikes.
“I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal. I told them, in the strongest of words, to ‘just do it,’ but no matter how hard they tried, no matter how close they got, they just couldn’t get it done. I told them it would be much worse than anything they know, anticipated, or were told, that the United States makes the best and most lethal military equipment anywhere in the World, BY FAR, and that Israel has a lot of it, with much more to come – And they know how to use it,” the president wrote on Truth Social early Friday morning. “Certain Iranian hardliner’s spoke bravely, but they didn’t know what was about to happen. They are all DEAD now, and it will only get worse! There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end.”
“Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire. No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. God Bless You All,” Trump concluded.
In a follow-up post, he said Iran could have a “second chance” at making a deal.
“Two months ago I gave Iran a 60 day ultimatum to ‘make a deal.’ They should have done it! Today is day 61. I told them what to do, but they just couldn’t get there. Now they have, perhaps, a second chance!” he wrote.
In an interview with ABC News Friday morning, he called the Israeli strikes “excellent” and said there’s “more to come.”
The tone of Trump’s statement varied noticeably from that of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the highest-ranking administration official to weigh in on the brewing war Thursday night.
“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense,” Rubio wrote. “President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.”
Iran suffered heavy losses Thursday night, including Gen. Hossein Salami, the chief commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and multiple nuclear scientists. Tehran also claimed the strikes resulted in several child casualties before launching more than 100 suicide drones in a retaliatory attack against Israel.
IRAN WARNS OF ‘BITTER, PAINFUL FATE’ BEFORE LAUNCHING RETALIATORY STRIKE AGAINST ISRAEL
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a televised speech following the attack that the offensive could continue for days or weeks.
Trump administration officials have already conducted multiple rounds of negotiations with Tehran on brokering a new nuclear agreement. Led by Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, the U.S. has reportedly offered Iran a proposal that would allow the country to continue its nuclear enrichment program, with American oversight.
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
