‘Trust your instincts’: JD Vance shares what advice he gave Trump about Iran

Vice President JD Vance appeared on Fox News Friday to share the advice he gave President Donald Trump regarding Iran and its nuclear program.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that Trump will decide within two weeks whether to involve the U.S. directly in the Israel-Iran war. During an interview on “Special Report with Bret Baier,” Vance said he trusts Trump since the president understands when diplomacy reaches its limit.

“The advice that I’m giving him is ‘Sir, trust your instincts.’ He’s got the best instincts of any president I’ve ever seen, of any political leader that I’ve ever seen,” Vance said. “I think that he knows when diplomacy has run its course, and he’ll know when, ultimately, he has to employ the American military to make sure that Iran doesn’t have a nuclear program.”

When asked about the president’s two-week window for deliberation, Vance said Trump is unlikely to reveal his exact plans but is closely monitoring the situation.

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“I think, as the president said, he’s not going to tell anybody exactly when or what he’s going to do. He’s going to continue working this process. He’s going to let the diplomatic process unfold. And in the meantime, of course, the president of the United States can do whatever he needs to do, whatever he needs to do to keep the American people safe,” Vance added.

Pressed on how long diplomacy should play out before military force is used, Vance said that responsibility rests with the president alone, but he also said time is running short.

“I think that what he said is he’s going to pursue diplomacy until he thinks that there isn’t an opportunity. And once he decides that diplomacy has completely run its course, that we’re not going to get anything out of additional talks, then I think the president is going to do what he needs to do to end Iranian enrichment and end that Iranian nuclear program,” Vance said. “Again, the president will make that final decision. I do think that we’re running out of time. But as the president said yesterday, he wants to give it a little bit more time to see what diplomacy can accomplish.”

Trump on Monday urged the immediate evacuation of Tehran, saying that Iran “cannot have a nuclear weapon.” This call followed Israel’s preemptive strikes on Thursday that targeted multiple Iranian military sites and killed top commanders, including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leader Hossein Salami and Major Gen. Mohammad Bagheri.

As Israel ramps up its efforts, the U.S. has reportedly considered whether to join in targeting Iran’s nuclear sites. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also hinted that removing the ayatollah is on the table.

To successfully hit the Fordow facility, Israel may need U.S. bunker-busting bombs due to the site’s extensive defenses. Trump had previously given Iran a 60-day window to negotiate over its nuclear program, which expired just before Israel launched its strikes.

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