U.S. President Trump Skeptical of Immediate Ceasefire Amid Iran-Israel Conflict

 WASHINGTON D.C. — As the conflict between Iran and Israel continues, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed skepticism on Saturday regarding the immediate feasibility of a ceasefire, stating it would be "very hard to stop" Israeli strikes on Iran for such negotiations. When queried about Iran's suggestion that he could urge Israel to halt its operations to facilitate an agreement, Trump responded, "I think it's very hard to make that request right now." While expressing support for a cessation of hostilities, he reiterated that Israel's actions against Iran would be "very hard to stop when you look at it." Trump elaborated, "Israel's doing well in terms of war. And, I think, you would say that Iran is doing less well. It's a little bit hard to get somebody to stop."

His remarks followed a White House statement indicating Trump perceived a "substantial chance of negotiations" in the ongoing conflict, adding that the U.S. was seeking more time to determine potential military intervention. Trump explained his stance, stating, "If somebody is winning, it's a little bit harder to do than if somebody is losing." However, he affirmed U.S. readiness for engagement: "But we're ready, willing and able, and we've been speaking to Iran, and we'll see what happens," news agency AP reported.

Earlier, Trump had publicly contradicted his Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, over her assertion that U.S. intelligence agencies believed Iran was not developing a nuclear weapon. When pressed on Gabbard's March comments, the President retorted, "Well then, my intelligence community is wrong. Who in the intelligence community said that?" Upon learning it was Gabbard, Trump definitively stated, "She's wrong."

Amid these developments, Trump has requested additional time to evaluate a potential military strike on Iran's heavily fortified Fordo uranium enrichment facility, a site reportedly buried under a mountain and used for uranium enrichment, potentially for weapons development. He has also expressed skepticism regarding Iran's claims of developing nuclear capabilities solely for civilian purposes, such as power generation. This comes as Israel initiated "preemptive" strikes on Iran on June 13, asserting they were designed to thwart Tehran's pursuit of nuclear weapons. As the U.S. President deliberates potential American involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, he has maintained that he would support a ceasefire, conditional on the prevailing circumstances.