President Donald Trump said the United States would “willingly” join Israel in launching a military assault on Iran if nuclear negotiations collapse, though he still holds out hope for a diplomatic resolution.

Speaking to Time Magazine in a wide-ranging interview reflecting on the first 100 days of his second term, Trump addressed mounting tensions with Tehran, his recent diplomatic outreach, and the growing pressure from Jerusalem to take action. “If we don’t make a deal, I’ll be leading the pack,” Trump said, making it clear he’s not afraid of confrontation should Iran fail to come to terms.

The interview follows reports that Israel recently proposed a series of coordinated strikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. While Trump admitted he didn’t outright block the Israeli initiative, he acknowledged that he “didn’t make it comfortable” for them to proceed. “Ultimately, I was going to leave that choice to them, but I said I would much prefer a deal than bombs being dropped,” he explained.

Yet Trump’s patience appears finite. “I think we can make a deal without the attack. I hope we can,” he said, reiterating a preference for diplomacy even as military options remain firmly on the table.

Asked whether he fears being “dragged” into a conflict by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump rejected the notion outright. “To the contrary,” he said, “I may go in very willingly.”

The president also signaled openness to direct engagement with Iran’s leadership, saying he would meet with either Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei or President Masoud Pezeshkian if needed. This comes just days after U.S. and Iranian officials reportedly made “very good progress” toward a new framework to limit Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Trump, who famously pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal during his first term, has long warned that time is running out. Since 2019, Iran has exceeded the limits set by that agreement, amassing uranium at enrichment levels far beyond what Western powers say is needed for civilian use.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)