Trump Claims Iran War Could End Soon — But Threatens More Bombing If Deal Fails

President Donald Trump told PBS News on Wednesday that the war with Iran has “a very good chance of ending,” signaling cautious optimism about a potential deal that could include Iran exporting its highly enriched uranium to the United States. Trump said the U.S. is “getting there,” but admitted he’s felt hopeful before only to be disappointed. If the deal falls through, Trump made clear the U.S. would resume aggressive military strikes.

During the call with PBS White House correspondent Liz Landers, Trump described the possibility of Iran agreeing to halt operations at underground nuclear facilities “for goodwill for a long period of time.” But he dismissed sending special envoys like Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to negotiations as “unlikely,” insisting the deal could be finalized domestically or with a signing ceremony elsewhere.

Trump’s blunt ultimatum was unmistakable: “If they agree, it’s over, and if they don’t agree, we bomb.” This approach echoes the administration’s pattern of using foreign conflicts as leverage to distract from domestic scandals and consolidate power through fear and military force.

The president also said sanctions relief could follow a deal, suggesting a temporary easing of financial pressure on Iran, including the possibility of ignoring Chinese banks buying Iranian oil. Yet he downplayed any direct confrontation with China on this front, saying, “It is what it is.”

This announcement comes amid rising public disapproval of Trump’s handling of the Iran crisis, with recent polls showing six in ten Americans disapprove. The president’s simultaneous defense of his controversial White House ballroom project, which has ballooned in cost and faced scrutiny for alleged private funding claims, adds to the administration’s growing list of accountability questions.

Trump’s cavalier talk of bombing as a fallback option underscores the reckless escalation that has defined his Iran policy — a dangerous gamble with global stability that puts American lives and democratic oversight at risk. As the president prepares for a trip to China next week, the world watches nervously: will diplomacy prevail, or will the bombs start falling again?