White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday that President Donald Trump is keeping all options on the table when it comes to Iran, including diplomacy.
Leavitt held a press gaggle in front of the West Wing in the afternoon, where one reporter asked if “airstrikes” were “off the table” regarding Iran, amid protests against Iran’s regime, led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“Well, I think one thing President Trump is very good at is always keeping all of his options on the table, and airstrikes would be one of the many, many options that are on the table for the Commander in Chief. Diplomacy is always the first option for the president,” Leavitt said.
She noted that what the Iranian regime is stating publicly and its messages behind the scenes to the Trump administration are significantly different.
“He’s told all of you last night that what you’re hearing publicly from the Iranian regime is quite differently [sic] from the messages the administration is receiving privately, and I think the president has an interest in exploring those messages,” Leavitt detailed.
“However, with that said, the president has shown he’s unafraid to use military options if and when he deems necessary, and nobody knows that better than Iran,” she added.
Leavitt also noted that special envoy Steve Witkoff “will continue to be a very important player in diplomacy with respect to Iran.”
Trump noted Saturday in a Truth Social post that the United States “stands ready to help” as Iran looks “at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before” with the protests taking place. According to CNN, over 500 protesters have been killed as of Monday.
Trump expressed his displeasure with the killings on Sunday night during an Air Force One flight from Palm Beach, Florida, back to Washington, DC, and noted that Iran is starting to cross his red line.
“There seemed to be some people killed that aren’t supposed to be killed,” he said. “The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options.”
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