Two weeks' notice: Trump's deadline on Iran is a familiar one

NBC News

6 hours ago

President Donald Trump's two-week timeline to decide on whether the U.S. will strike Iran's nuclear sites is a familiar one — it's one he's repeatedly used since his first term in office.
'Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,' he said in a statement issued through White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
In the last two months, Trump has promised action on questions or decisions in 'two weeks' over a dozen times — and he used the same timeline repeatedly during his first term in office.
'We're going to be announcing something, I would say over the next two or three weeks, that will be phenomenal in terms of tax and developing our aviation infrastructure,' Trump said of tax overhaul plans on Feb. 9, 2017.
He released a one-page outline of the plan 11 weeks later, according to a Bloomberg review that year.
He went on to repeatedly cite the time frame for impending actions on health care and infrastructure that never materialized during his first four years in office.
Trump's use of the timing prediction has accelerated in recent weeks — and he's used it on items ranging from trade deals and tariffs to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Much of what he's predicted hasn't come to pass, with questions he's said he'd answer remaining unanswered.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Two weeks to set rates on tariffs
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on April 23, Trump said the country was going to have "great deals" on trade.
"And by the way, if we don't have a deal with a company or a country, we're going to set the tariff. We just set the tariff. It's something that we think — that will happen, I say, over the next couple of weeks, wouldn't you say? I think so," Trump said. "Over the next two, three weeks. We'll be setting the number. And we're going to pick — could be for China too."
Two weeks to decide on continued aid for Ukraine
During an April 24 Oval Office meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump was asked if he'd continued providing military intelligence and aid to Ukraine if there was no peace deal with Russia.
"Let's see what happens. I think we're going to make a deal, and if we make a deal, it'll be wonderful. We won't have to worry about your question. You can ask that question in two weeks, and we'll see. But I think we're getting very close," Trump said.
Two weeks to find out if Trump trusts Putin
Asked by reporters on April 27 if he trusted Russian President Vladimir Putin, given the ramped-up attacks on Ukraine while Trump was calling for a ceasefire, the president said, 'We'll let you know in about two weeks.'
Two weeks to determine Putin's path in Ukraine
In an interview that aired May 4 on NBC's " Meet the Press," Trump was asked by moderator Kristen Welker if he'd misread Putin's position on Russia's war with Ukraine.
"No, I'll tell you about in a month from now, or two weeks from now. I have no idea. I can tell you this, he's ... his ambition was stopped to a large extent when he saw that it was me that was now leading the charge," Trump said.
Two weeks to set a trade deal with China
Trump told reporters on May 4 on Air Force One that he'd be "setting" a trade deal with China.
"At some point in the next two weeks or three weeks, I'm gonna be setting the deal. I'm gonna say that such and such a country has had a tremendous trade surplus, surplus their way, with us. They've taken advantage of us in various ways," Trump said.
Two weeks to announce tariffs on pharmaceutical companies
Asked on May 5 in the Oval Office if he'd made any determination on tariff rates and timing for pharmaceutical companies, Trump said, "I have. I'll announce it over the next two weeks."
Asked about those same tariffs on Tuesday, Trump said, "We're going to be doing pharmaceuticals very soon."
Two weeks to sign trade deals
During a May 6 meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office, Trump suggested a number of trade deals were imminent.
"We also have a situation, because everyone says, when, when? When are you going to sign deals? We don't have to sign deals. We could sign 25 deals right now, Howard [Lutnick, the commerce secretary], if we wanted. We don't have to sign deals. They have to sign deals with us. They want a piece of our market. We don't want a piece of their market," Trump said. "So we can just sit down, and I'll do this at some point over the next two weeks."
Two weeks to meet Putin and end the war
Trump was asked in Abu Dhabi on May 16 when he would meet with Putin to discuss ending the war. "As soon as we can set it up," Trump replied. "And I think in, uh, two or three weeks we could have it be a much, much safer place."
Two weeks to set trade terms
At a May 16 business roundtable in Abu Dhabi, Trump said he'd soon be setting the terms of the trade deals he wanted, and that Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent would be notifying trading partners.
"So at a certain point over the next two to three weeks, I think Scott and Howard will be sending letters out, essentially telling people it won't be very fair. But we'll be telling people what they'll be paying to do business in the United States. They'll essentially be paying to be doing business in the United States," the president said.
Two weeks to determine if Zelenskyy is doing a good job
Asked on May 19 in the Oval Office if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was doing enough to help end the war, Trump said, "I'd rather tell you in about two weeks from now because I can't say yes or no.
"I think — look, he's a strong person, Zelenskyy, a strong guy and he's not the easiest person to deal with, but I think that he wants to stop. It's a very bad — it's a very bad thing that's happening over there. I think he wants to stop, but I could answer that question better in two weeks or four weeks from now."
Two weeks to determine if Putin wants to end the war
Trump was asked again if he believed Putin wanted to end the war while taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office on May 28.
"I can't tell you that, but I'll let you know in about two weeks, within two weeks. We're going to find out very soon. We're going to find out whether or not he's tapping us along or not. And if he is, we'll respond a little bit differently. But it will take about a week and a half, two weeks," Trump said.
Two weeks to send out trade deal offers
After touting a preliminary trade deal with China, Trump was asked at the Kennedy Center which country he expected to sign a deal with next.
"Well, we're dealing with Japan. We're dealing with South Korea. We're dealing with a lot of them. We're dealing with about 15 countries. But as you know, we have about 150 plus and you can't do that. So we're going to be sending letters out in about a week and a half, two weeks, to countries and telling them what the deal is, like I did with E.U.," Trump responded.
Two weeks to decide whether to attack Iran
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt began her briefing on Thursday by discussing potential U.S. involvement in Israel's conflict with Iran.
"Regarding the ongoing situation in Iran, I know there has been a lot of speculation amongst all of you in the media regarding the president's decision-making and whether or not the United States will be directly involved," she said. "In light of that news, I have a message directly from the president, and I quote, 'Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks.' That's a quote directly from the president for all of you today."