Even former President Donald Trump says a decision on U.S. military involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict should be made quickly. So stay tuned — likely within two weeks — for an update on these developments. Despite this fast-approaching deadline, during a recent White House news conference, Trump sought to downplay the urgency. He stressed that it would be far more complicated to negotiate individual deals with each country.
Trump’s remarks came as tensions escalate in the region and highlighted his administration’s approach to foreign policy and trade. Now though, he said, the negotiations are still continuing and the massive number of countries makes negotiations quite difficult. “There’s 200 countries, you can’t talk to all of them,” he remarked, indicating the challenges faced in international relations.
Trade Deal Negotiations
In roughly the same breath, Trump went into the fine details of recent trade negotiations with China and other countries. He indicated that any successful deal would require China’s approval, specifically mentioning President Xi Jinping’s likely positive response. “I think getting along well with China is a very good thing,” Trump noted, while asserting that establishing fairer trade relations would necessitate significant tariffs.
Such was the ambition of the former president’s ‘supply side’ plan for his administration, which aimed to close 90 trade agreements in 90 days. He promised that the next round of letters would be sent detailing specific potential trade penalties if no agreements are reached. “Congratulations, we’re allowing you to shop in the United States of America. You’re going to pay a 25% tariff, or a 35% or a 50% or 10%,” he added, illustrating his administration’s tough stance on trade negotiations.
As part of these discussions, Trump revealed that a group of wealthy investors plans to make an offer to acquire TikTok, a popular social media platform owned by China’s ByteDance. He hinted at a possible deal that could protect TikTok’s future in the United States, underscoring the administration’s focus on managing Chinese investments.
Military Strikes and Regional Stability
Trump was more extensive still in his regional explanations for U.S. military actions throughout the Middle East, specifically calling an action against Iran. He argued that past strikes had “neutralized” Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and made the case for continuing to apply max pressure on Tehran. “It was obliterated like nobody’s ever seen before,” he stated, reflecting his administration’s aggressive posture towards Iran.
The former president’s comments come amid concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear ambitions, which Iranian officials have characterized as their “inalienable right.” Iran’s Vice President and head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Amir Saeid Iravani reiterated Tehran’s determination to continue its nuclear path by declaring, “Enrichment is our right. But as the ongoing conflict continues to make clear, these power dynamics were never stable. It further highlights the potential fate of U.S. military decisions to have grave impacts.
Trump is still currently charting very tricky times. He reiterated that the U.S. will respond to every threat, real or imaginary—with targets particularly focusing on Beijing. His administration has repeatedly demonstrated a readiness to invoke tariffs and other economic warfare tactics. They’ve claimed they will stop at absolutely nothing to promote and defend U.S. interests.
Looking Ahead
Given these actions, Trump pointed to the need for strong, swift action and ongoing discussions. Importantly, he noted that letters regarding trade penalties would be going out in the near future. This leaves small window with a hard deadline for many countries to complete their deals with the U.S.
Yet the former president has been unbending in his conviction that our trade relations need to be about fairness, and mutual respect. He stated, “We’ll look at how a country treats us — are they good, are they not so good — some countries we don’t care, we’ll just send a high number out.” This move is emblematic of Trump’s wider plan to use economic coercion as a substitute for diplomacy.
As we go to print, both trade negotiations and military confrontation are developing quickly. Those updates will be watched closely by stakeholders here and abroad, including by former president Trump and his new team. These next few weeks may prove to be a tipping point for U.S. military escalation in the Middle East. They will set the trajectory of international trade relations for years to come.
