President Donald Trump cut his weekend trip to Camp David short and returned to the White House as tensions mount with the war in Iran and across the Middle East.
Trump told Fox News’ Trey Yingst on Sunday that he is in “deciding mode” and warned that “very big things” may happen soon regarding the U.S.-Iran war.
“My question is, if and when do I blow the entire nation up? They better behave,” Trump said, according to Fox News.
Iran sent a list of conditions for ending the war to the U.S. through Qatari mediators, and Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told Al Jazeera on Saturday that the country is awaiting Trump’s response.
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The president traveled to his golf club in Sterling, Virginia, on Sunday morning.
Trump told Fox News he is considering three options: “wiping Iran out,” “letting them rot economically” or “making a deal.” Trump also said he is “open” to meeting with Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian during the United Nations General Assembly meeting this week.
The State Department also warned Americans in the Middle East to stay on alert, saying the “military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly.”
“Due to tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation,” the State Department wrote in the alert. “Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise heightened vigilance and be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions.”
The notice pointed to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacking a civilian airport in Saudi Arabia, which is a U.S. ally in the region. Trump told Fox News he remains in constant communication with the Houthis and they have agreed not to fight the U.S.
Saudi Arabia said Saturday that they intercepted the ballistic missile the Houthis launched at the capital city Riyadh, and large plumes of smoke could be seen at the city’s main airport.
U.S. embassies and missions in Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar all issued warnings about the security threat over the weekend.
Trump’s comments on the war follow statements he made to Axios on Friday about approaching a “big decision” about whether to potentially go “in and annihilate them [the Iranian regime]” or not.
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