By Kevin Liptak and Kaitlan Collins, CNN
(CNN) — President Donald Trump said early Tuesday he’s seeking “a real end” to the conflict between Israel and Iran, arguing that outcome would be preferable to a ceasefire while also suggesting his patience for negotiations is wearing thin.
The comments, made to reporters as he returned to Washington after abruptly cutting short his time at the Group of 7 summit in Canada, offered the latest window into Trump’s thinking as he weighs options for US involvement in the ongoing conflict.
Trump was due to meet later Tuesday with members of his national security team in the White House Situation Room. Israel has been pressing Trump to become more involved in its campaign to dismantle Iran’s nuclear facilities, which top officials from the country have said would require American weapons and planes.
The president offered little clarity on whether he would accede to that pressure, which has been countered by loud voices within his own party encouraging him to avoid getting dragged into another foreign conflict.
Trump has offered somewhat mixed messages as the back-and-forth between Iran and Israel enters its fifth day. While he has encouraged Tehran to return to diplomatic talks meant to curb its nuclear ambitions, he is also warning Iranians to urgently evacuate their capital city and dismissing reports that he is reaching out to Iran for talks.
“I didn’t say I was looking for a ceasefire,” he said aboard Air Force One. “We’re looking for better than a ceasefire.”
He said his objective in Iran was “an end, a real end, not a ceasefire,” or “giving up entirely.” Trump has said previously that Iran must abandon its nuclear program, and alleged Tuesday that Iran was “very close” to developing a nuclear weapon, despite assessments from his own intelligence chiefs that such an outcome was not imminent.
Asked if there’s any guarantee that US bombs could actually reach underground Iranian nuclear bunkers and destroy them, Trump said, “There’s no guarantee in anything.”
While officials told CNN on Monday that Trump had directed his team, including special envoy Steve Witkoff, to attempt meeting with Iranian negotiators as soon as this week, the president sounded non-committal on renewing talks.
While Trump said he was considering dispatching Witkoff and Vice President JD Vance for negotiations, he said it would “depend on what happens when I get back.”
“I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate,” he said later, adding he expects the next 48 hours will reveal more about whether Israel plans to slow down or accelerate its attacks on Iran.
“Nobody’s slowed up so far,” Trump said.
Asked about his Monday night social media post calling for everyone in the Iranian capital Tehran to evacuate, he said there was no specific threat to the city of roughly 10 million.
“I want people to be safe,” he said. “That’s always possible something could happen. I just want people to be safe.”
And he issued a warning to Iran that targeting American troops in the region would lead to a dramatic escalation in the conflict.
“We’ll come down so hard, it’d be gloves off,” he said in response.
Upon arriving back to the White House Tuesday morning, Trump posted a message he’d received from his ambassador in Israel, Mike Huckabee, acknowledging the president had “many voices speaking to you” but encouraging him to be open to divine intervention.
“I believe you will hear from heaven and that voice is far more important than mine or ANYONE else’s,” Huckabee wrote.
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