After a meeting in the Situation Room on Tuesday, President Donald Trump informed top advisers that he had approved attack plans against Iran, which had been presented to him. However, he stated that he wanted to wait and see if Iran would be open to discussing the cessation of their nuclear program, according to sources familiar with the situation.
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on the approval of the attack plans. While Trump has not made a definitive decision regarding U.S. action, and despite having attack plans ready, he has yet to determine if he will issue a final order to proceed with them.
President Donald Trump engages with the press as preparations are made for a flag pole installation on the South Lawn of the White House on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Washington.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci
President Trump on Wednesday afternoon wrapped another meeting in the Situation Room with his national security team.
It would be expected that the president would be presented with attack plans for approval in the Situation Room while considering whether to enter the conflict.
“As President Trump said himself today, all options remain on the table,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
As ABC has reported, multiple sources have told ABC News that the president has been presented a range of options by his national security team that he is considering, including using U.S. military assets to strike Iranian nuclear facilities.
A source familiar with the intelligence tells ABC News that it’s though Trump is getting comfortable with the idea of the U.S. taking out Iran’s underground Fordo nuclear facility inside a mountain and protected by thick concrete.
There is now movement to get ready for this, the source said, adding it would not be just one strike on the Fordo facility but several with American B-2 stealth bombers capable of dropping 30,000 pound bombs that experts say can penetrate as far as 200 feet below the surface.
The Israelis have discovered that they did not take out all the Iranian air defenses as they had thought, so that is an added concern.
There has been no response from the Iranians likely because of the way Trump demanded “unconditional surrender.”
Trump is trying to engage the MAGA base with Vice President JD Vance to see what they reaction will be if orders the bombing.
He has been briefed on security at the U.S. bases, since they could be incredibly vulnerable.
Speaking to reporters earlier on Wednesday, Trump was not revealing what action he might take related to Iran.
“I have ideas as to what to do but I haven’t made a final — I like to make the final decision one second before it’s due, because things change, especially with war,” he said while taking questions in the Oval Office.
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump said he wasn’t ruling out using U.S. military assets to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities.
“I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do,” he said as he spoke with reporters while new flag poles were being raised on the White House South Lawn.
Trump met with his advisers in the Situation Room on Tuesday afternoon after departing the Group of Seven summit in Canada early, citing tensions in the Middle East.
On Tuesday, Trump had demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” in a social media post. Asked on Wednesday to elaborate what that means, Trump said: “That means I’ve had it, okay. I’ve had it. I give up.”
“No more. Then we go blow up all the, you know, all the nuclear stuff that’s all over the place there,” Trump said.
The president said his patience has “already run out” with Iran, and that Iran wants to negotiate but he said it may be too late.
His message for the regime’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei? “I say good luck,” Trump said Wednesday.
The president also sought to push back on prominent MAGA voices who’ve been outspoken about the U.S. not getting involved in the war between Israel and Iran.
“My supporters are more in love with me today, and I’m in love with them more than they were even at election time,” Trump said.
Trump was asked further what his message is for Americans who are concerned about possible U.S. involvement and the potential for retaliation.
“I don’t want to get involved either, but I’ve been saying for 20 years, maybe longer, that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump responded.
“You know, I believe they’d use it,” Trump continued. “Others won’t use it, but I believe they’d use it. So that’s it. It’s very simple, as far as I’m concerned. They can’t have a nuclear weapon.”
ABC News’ Hannah Demissie and Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this report.
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