Washington, May 19, 2026 — President Donald Trump defended his decision to continue pressure on Iran, saying he will act to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons even if those actions are politically unpopular.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump acknowledged that aides and advisers have warned the measures are not widely popular, but argued that public opinion would shift once people understood the potential threat to major U.S. cities. He framed the choice as one of responsibility, saying he will not allow catastrophic attacks on his watch.
The president said he postponed a planned strike after what he described as “big discussions” with Iranian officials and because regional partners—including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates—asked the United States to hold off for a few days. Those countries, he said, believed negotiations were close to producing a deal.
Trump called the pause a ‘‘very positive development’’ while stressing uncertainty about whether the talks would produce a lasting resolution. He added that multiple nations were directly engaging both U.S. officials and Iran in efforts to resolve the crisis through diplomacy and that he would prefer a solution reached without military force.
The president’s handling of the conflict has coincided with a decline in his approval rating: the CNN average puts his approval at 36 percent since the conflict began on February 28.
This report is based on a syndicated feed from ANI and was published as received. The Tribune republishes the story and does not assume responsibility for its accuracy or completeness.
