The Pentagon and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signalled on Monday that the United States does not plan to strike Iran as President Donald Trump prepares to meet with the National Security Council (NSC) at the White House.
The NSC meeting comes as the U.S. has repositioned both warships and military aircraft in the region to respond if the conflict between Israel and Iran further escalates.
“American Forces are maintaining their defensive posture & that has not changed,” Sean Parnell, chief Pentagon spokesperson, wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “We will protect American troops & our interests.”
Israel launched a number of strikes against Iran last week, igniting the most serious escalation to date in their long-running conflict.
Both countries have lobbed missiles at one another since Israel first attacked Iran early Friday, local time, with Iran bearing the brunt of the cost in the days since.
Israeli airstrikes have decapitated Iran’s military and intelligence leadership and targeted critical nuclear sites and scientists, killing more than 224 people since Friday. Israeli officials have said that 24 people in Israel have been killed and at least 500 were injured as a result of Iran’s retaliatory strikes.
Hegseth underscored America’s defensive posture vis-à-vis Iran, telling Fox News that Trump’s priority is still achieving a new nuclear agreement with Iran.
“We believe that Iran … should not have a nuclear weapon,” he told Fox’s Jesse Watters. “That position hasn’t changed.”
“Right now, we’ve got assets in the region and we’re going to defend them,” he said, adding: “We’re strong, we’re prepared, we’re defensive … President Trump hopes there can be peace.”
The Trump administration has been working to negotiate a new nuclear agreement in Iran since he took office in January. Trump scrapped the Obama administration’s 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran in 2018, during his first term.
Vanguard reported that the US president issued a warning to Tehran residents, telling them to “immediately” evacuate the capital city.
“Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign,” he wrote. “What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
Trump initially planned to be at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada until it wrapped, but White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that the president will leave early to deal with the Israel-Iran crisis.
“President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer,” Leavitt wrote. “Much was accomplished, but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State.”
A reporter asked Trump on Monday why he’s leaving the G7 earlier than planned, to which he replied: “Well, I have to be back, it’s very important.”
“I have to be back as soon as I can … I have to be back early, for obvious reasons,” he added.
“I wish I could stay until tomorrow, but they understand,” Trump said, referring to the other world leaders who are at the summit. “This is big stuff.”
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