17 June 2025 : US President Donald Trump on Monday called for the evacuation of Tehran as the conflict between Israel and Iran continued for the fifth straight day.
The announcement followed the White House announcement that the US President would be departing from the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada a day early amid the worsening situation in the Middle East.
“Iran should have signed the “deal” I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” Trump said on Truth Social.
After cutting short his Canada visit, Trump has told his National Security Council to be ready for a meeting, according to Fox News. The President is expected to meet after he is aboard Air Force One.
As uncertainty looms over the US role in Israel-Iran conflict and stalled nuclear negotiations with Tehran, here are the possible options which Trump could be weighing on:
Direct military involvement
Iran reported several explosions and air defence fire in Tehran early Tuesday and activated air defences in Natanz to protect its nuclear installations, Reuters reported.
Meanwhile, Trump has urged Iranians to evacuate from Tehran, after Iran rejected the nuclear weapons development deal with Washington.
Amid the escalating tensions and Iran rejecting a nuclear deal with the US, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is ramping up pressure on Trump to pursue a military path with Iran.
Trump is also facing political pressure, with several Republicans in the US Congress calling for a regime change in Tehran, according to BBC.
A middle-ground approach
Donald Trump has reiterated that the US has not directly participated in the Israeli attacks on Iran.
While the Iranian media reported explosions and aerial attacks in Tehran earlier today, a White House official denied that the US was attacking Iran, according to Reuters.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has told Fox News that Trump was still be aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran.
A report in the BBC said that some of the Trump’s advisers at the National Security Council are likely to caution the President against doing anything that could intensify the Israeli attacks on Iran.
Withdrawing from the conflict
One of the key highlights of Trump’s candidacy for US President has been a focus on domestic support and stepping back and cutting funds for international conflicts, including Ukraine War.
While Israel has the support of a majority of the Republicans in the US, there have been voices withing Trump’s Make America Great Again (Maga) campaign calling against US’ traditional support for Israel.
The backers of the Maga movement have questioned why is the US risking being drawn into the conflict in the Middle East, going back from the ‘America First’ foreign policy.
Several prominent Trump supporters have gone in public in criticising Israel and calling for the US to ‘drop Israel’.
“Engaging in it would be a middle finger in the faces of the millions of voters who cast their ballots in hopes of creating a government that would finally put the United States first,” pro-Trump journalist Tucker Carlson has said.
Meanwhile, Iran has already warned the US against assisting Israel’s defence or it would attack US bases in the region.
Summary:
As Israel-Iran tensions escalate, Donald Trump may consider diplomatic pressure, economic sanctions, cyber operations, or support for Israeli actions to deter Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.