WASHINGTON – As negotiations over a ceasefire to the weeks-long conflict between the US-Israeli bloc and Iran remain deadlocked, former and current US President Donald Trump made clear Thursday that he feels no urgency to bring the military confrontation to an early end, warning American consumers that they will need to shoulder elevated gasoline costs for the foreseeable future as part of the tradeoff for his administration’s policy goals.
Speaking to reporters on the White House grounds, Trump emphasized he has no intention of forcing a rushed resolution to the conflict. “I don’t want to rush myself,” he stated, noting that US citizens should prepare to pay more at the pump for the short term, arguing the long-term outcome — an Iran stripped of nuclear weapons capabilities — would make the financial pain worth it.
Earlier the same day, Trump doubled down on this position in a post to his social media platform Truth Social, framing the conflict as a battle of endurance that favors Washington. “I am possibly the least pressured person ever to be in this position. I have all the time in the World, but Iran doesn’t — The clock is ticking! Time is not on their side!” he wrote.
Trump went on to insist that any final peace agreement with Iran must be structured exclusively on US terms and aligned with his own preferred timeline. “A deal will only be made when it’s appropriate and good for the United States of America, our Allies and, in fact, the rest of the World,” he added.
The comments echoed remarks Trump made one day earlier, when he confirmed there is no fixed timeline for ending the conflict and no immediate pressure to act on the ceasefire extension he announced Tuesday, even as talks remain stalled. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reinforced this stance Wednesday, telling reporters that Tehran has not been given a firm deadline to put forward a formal peace proposal to Washington.