Trump held off on strike as Iran nuclear talks loomed: WSJ

US President explains to senior aides that he wanted to give Iran final chance to step away from its nuclear plans

By News Desk
|
June 19, 2025
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30, 2025, in Washington. — AFP

WASHINGTON: President Trump held back on launching a planned military strike against Iran, even after telling his top advisers that he had approved the attack. According to The Wall Street Journal, the president was hoping Iran might change its course and stop working on its nuclear program.

The strike was meant to be a response to Iran’s actions in the region, which were seen as dangerous by the United States. But just as the military was preparing to carry out the operation, President Trump told his team to pause.

He explained to senior aides that he wanted to give Iran a final chance to step away from its nuclear plans. President Trump believed there might still be a chance for diplomacy, and he didn’t want to rush into a conflict without exploring that option.

The moment was one of the closest times the U.S. came to attacking Iran during President Trump’s time in office.