President Donald Trump’s decision on whether to authorize airstrikes against Iran will be heavily influenced by assessments from his special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, regarding whether Tehran is deliberately delaying negotiations over a nuclear agreement, according to individuals with knowledge of the internal deliberations.
While a final decision has not been made, the administration is anticipating a new proposal from Iran this week, ahead of a scheduled “last-ditch” round of negotiations in Geneva on Thursday. Witkoff and Kushner will lead the U.S. Delegation, and their evaluation of Iran’s willingness to genuinely negotiate will be a key factor in Trump’s calculations.
Should negotiations fail, Trump has reportedly indicated to advisors that he is considering a tiered response. This could begin with limited airstrikes intended to pressure Iran, potentially escalating to a larger-scale attack aimed at regime change, sources said.
The potential for military action comes as Trump simultaneously enacted a new 10% global tariff on all imports, following a Supreme Court ruling on Friday that invalidated his previous “liberation day” tariffs imposed last year. The president reacted to the court’s decision by announcing the new tariffs, which will be in effect for 150 days. Three Senate Democrats have called for the government to refund approximately $175 billion in previously collected tariff revenue, and FedEx has filed a lawsuit seeking a refund related to the invalidated tariffs.
Iran has warned of a forceful response to any U.S. Attack, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stating last week that Iran possesses the capability to sink a U.S. Warship.
Alongside Witkoff and Kushner, other key advisors involved in the discussions include Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, General Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Concerns about a limited stockpile of anti-missile systems have been raised by General Caine, leading to some uncertainty among advisors, including Vice President Vance, regarding the potential success of military strikes.
The White House has affirmed that General Caine is providing unbiased information to the President, fulfilling his professional obligations.
On Tuesday, President Trump is scheduled to deliver his first State of the Union address of his second term to a deeply divided nation. Recent polling data indicates that a majority of U.S. Adults – 55% – believe Trump is changing the country for the worse, a 13-point increase since around the same time during his first presidency.
Separately, European leaders have accused Hungary of hindering support for Ukraine by blocking fresh sanctions against Moscow on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion. In Moscow, a bomb detonated near a police car early Tuesday, killing one officer and wounding two others.
Actor Robert Carradine, known for his roles in “Revenge of the Nerds” and “Lizzie McGuire,” died Monday at the age of 71, his family announced.
