Trump Gives Iran 10 Days to Accept Nuclear Deal or Face Strikes

President Trump told reporters Friday he is "considering" limited military strikes against Iran if the country does not agree to a new nuclear deal within roughly 10 days. The threat came as the U.S. military has surged two aircraft carriers, hundreds of fighter jets, and refueling planes to the Middle East, positioning Trump with the immediate capability to launch strikes.

"We're either going to get a deal, or it's going to be unfortunate for them," Trump said Thursday aboard Air Force One. When asked directly about military action Friday, he said, "I guess I can say I am considering that."

The timeline is compressed. Iran's foreign minister said a draft proposal for a nuclear agreement would be ready within days following negotiations in Geneva earlier this week. Trump's window for diplomacy before potential military action is roughly 10 to 15 days.

The U.S. deployment to the region is massive and visible. Two aircraft carriers are now positioned in the Middle East alongside hundreds of fighter jets and tanker aircraft. Aerial tracking websites have documented dozens of U.S. military aircraft en route to Europe and the region in recent days. This is not a bluff on paper. The hardware is there. The personnel are there. The only question is whether Trump orders them to fire.

One Trump adviser told reporters there is a 90 percent chance of military action in the coming weeks.

House Democrats are attempting to force a vote on a war powers resolution next week that would require Trump to seek congressional approval before striking Iran. But they lack the votes to pass it.

Rep. Ro Khanna of California is pushing for the resolution. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky is the only House Republican who has said he will support it. Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, who backed a similar effort on Venezuela last month, said he plans to vote against this one. House Speaker Mike Johnson can afford to lose only two Republicans if he wants to block the resolution, assuming full attendance.

In the Senate, Senators Tim Kaine of Virginia and Rand Paul of Kentucky introduced a war powers resolution on January 29, but there is no apparent momentum to vote on it before missiles are actually flying.

Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said the U.S. military buildup is "unnecessary and unhelpful" but that a deal remains achievable. He said the U.S. has not asked for zero uranium enrichment in the talks, suggesting room for negotiation. Iran is preparing a draft proposal and signaling willingness to move forward.

But Trump's public statements about strikes appear designed to increase pressure on Tehran to accept whatever terms the U.S. demands. The White House said there are many "reasons and arguments that one could make for a strike against Iran," though it also said diplomacy is always the first option.

Military analysts warn that limited strikes could backfire. Bombing Iran risks triggering a wider conflict in the Middle East rather than forcing capitulation. A prolonged campaign could drag on for weeks, according to sources familiar with Pentagon planning. The region is already volatile. One miscalculation could spiral into something far larger than Trump intends.

For Americans, the stakes are immediate. A major conflict with Iran could send oil and gas prices spiking overnight. For military families, it means deployment. For Congress, it means ceding war powers to the executive branch without a vote.

The next 10 days will determine whether this becomes a negotiated agreement or the opening shots of a new Middle Eastern conflict.