President Donald Trump stepped onto the South Lawn of the White House Wednesday morning to thank workers installing new flagpoles. But it was his impromptu remarks to the press moments later that fueled global intrigue, as the president addressed the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran—and hinted at the high-stakes decision facing his administration: whether to join Israel in direct military action against the Islamic Republic.

“For 40 years, they’ve been saying ‘death to America,’” Trump told reporters. “If you go back 15 years, I was saying we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”

Pressed on whether negotiations with Tehran were still possible amid the intensifying war, Trump quipped, “Nothing is too late. The only thing too late is Powell,” taking a jab at Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, whom Trump has repeatedly criticized for not cutting interest rates quickly enough.

When a reporter asked what message he had for Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who just hours earlier issued a bold declaration rejecting any surrender to American or Israeli pressure, Trump replied, “I say, ‘Good luck.'”

Trump was also asked about his relationship with Netanyahu. “What do I say? I speak to him every day. Good man. Been very unfairly treated by his country, I think, very unfairly,” Trump said.

Asked about concerns from some in his MAGA base about a long-term war, Trump said, “We are not looking for a long-term war. I only want one thing. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon – that’s it. I’m not looking long-term, short-term. I’ve been saying it for 20 years.”

The exchange comes as Israel continues its relentless air campaign across Iran, striking key military and nuclear infrastructure sites. The IDF says it has struck over 1,000 sites since its bombing campaign began last week, and Iran has acknowledged the deaths of numerous top commanders, while denying reports of wider chaos.

Khamenei, in a televised statement from an undisclosed location, declared, on Wednesday: “The Americans should know that the Iranian nation will not surrender and any military intervention by them will undoubtedly cause irreparable damage.”

Three Iranian government aircraft departed Tehran for Oman on Tuesday, reportedly in a last-ditch effort to resume negotiations with the U.S. over its nuclear program.

The White House has not said whether backchannel talks are underway, though Oman previously played a key role in hosting nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran.

Despite the saber-rattling, President Trump has so far stopped short of confirming whether the U.S. will launch strikes of its own. Pentagon officials have acknowledged the deployment of additional fighter jets, refueling aircraft, and warships across the region, and U.S. forces have reportedly intercepted several incoming Iranian missiles targeting Israel.

Yet the final decision—whether America will join Israel in striking Iran’s deeply buried Fordo nuclear facility—remains solely in Trump’s hands. And, lest we forget, lev melachim b’yad hashem.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)