WASHINGTON, Feb 24 - The White House on Tuesday restated that diplomacy is President Trump's primary approach toward Tehran, but a spokeswoman emphasized the president retains the authority to order the use of lethal force if circumstances warrant.
"President Trump’s first option is always diplomacy. But as he has shown ... he is willing to use the lethal force of the United States military if necessary," Karoline Leavitt told reporters at the White House, adding that "the president is always the final decision maker around here."
Later the same day, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was scheduled to brief senior congressional leaders known collectively as the Gang of Eight at the White House, according to the U.S. State Department. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that Rubio is expected to discuss Iran during that briefing.
The statements and the planned briefing come as the United States has placed a substantial naval force near the Iranian coastline ahead of the possibility of strikes on the Islamic Republic. The administration has framed a diplomatic timeline as well: on February 19, President Trump said he was giving Tehran approximately 10 to 15 days to reach a deal.
Officials and observers will be watching for whether the president addresses his threatened strikes against Iran and the broader U.S. posture in his State of the Union speech scheduled for Tuesday night.
Context and next steps
The White House's public statements establish a dual approach: an explicit preference for diplomacy paired with a clear assertion of the president's readiness to order military force if deemed necessary. The forthcoming briefing by the Secretary of State to congressional leaders signals a high-level effort to share information with lawmakers while the naval deployment and the stated deadline for Tehran underline the administration's combined diplomatic and military signaling.
What remains uncertain
The article provides no additional detail on the specifics of any contemplated strikes, the composition or exact positioning of the naval forces, the content of the planned briefing, or how congressional leaders will respond. It also does not report any reply from Tehran to the administration's stated timeline.