How Trump pivoted from bombing Iran to announcing a ceasefire in just 48 hours
In just 48 hours, President Donald Trump pivoted from an unprecedented bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities to announcing a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, resulting in a flurry of diplomatic activity that left allies and adversaries scrambling to keep up.
Trump's Monday evening announcement of the ceasefire, which appears to be holding despite breaches by both sides, reflects his mercurial decision-making process, which current and former officials say is unorthodox even by his standards.
The president has largely sidestepped the traditional foreign policy establishment and the intelligence community in dealing with the Iran crisis. And in proclaiming victory and announcing major foreign policy moves, he has posted missives on social media rather than going through diplomatic channels.
Early US intelligence reports have also suggested that the United States military strikes did not destroy Iran's nuclear program and may have set it back by only a few months, with stockpiles of highly enriched uranium relocated to other secure locations.
'This is Trump trying to declare success and then sell that version of reality to the American people and then hope that any countervailing facts get drowned out by other news,' Democrat Joaquin Castro, a member of the House Intelligence and Foreign Affairs committees, told The Washington Post.
But some former officials say Trump could have found the slim path between preventing Iran from having a nuclear weapon and preventing US military entanglement in another Middle East war.
'Trump's pivot back to negotiations puts the pressure on Iran to accept no enrichment,' Anthony Ruggiero, a former White House national security official during Trump's first term, said. 'The US military strikes provide Trump and his negotiators leverage to insist on significant limits on Iran's nuclear program.'
A senior White House official, who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive conversations, suggested that Trump had immediately begun to focus on the prospects of a ceasefire from the White House Situation Room on Saturday night, shortly after he saw US bombs hit nuclear sites in Iran.
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40 minutes ago
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Aust stands ground on defence spend despite NATO boost
Australia is standing firm on defence spending targets despite European nations vowing to rapidly ratchet up expenditure under pressure from US President Donald Trump. On the sidelines of the NATO summit in the Netherlands, Defence Minister Richard Marles said Australia would decide its own spending levels to meet its own military needs. That risks drawing a rebuke from Mr Trump, who made clear he expects allies to drastically step up to reduce their reliance on the US. NATO countries, of which Australia is not a member, agreed to increase defence spending targets to five per cent of GDP. However, Spain refused prompting Mr Trump to threaten to punish the Iberian nation with a tougher trade deal. "You know what we're going to do? We're negotiating with Spain on a trade deal and we're going to make them pay twice as much," he said. Australia is also seeking to negotiate a reprieve from tariffs imposed by the US on imports, including a 50 per cent levy on steel and aluminium. But Mr Marles maintained Australia would stick with its own defence spending process, which will see the nation's share increase from two to 2.3 per cent by 2033/34. "Look, obviously, a very significant decision has been made here in relation to European defence spending, and that is fundamentally a matter for NATO," he said. "We've gone through our own process of assessing our strategic landscape, assessing the threats that exist there, and the kind of defence force we need to build in order to meet those threats, to meet the strategic moment, and then to resource that. "And what that has seen is the biggest peacetime increase in Australian Defence spending. "Now that is a story which is, which is understood here and we'll continue to assess what our needs are going forward. And as our prime minister has said, we will resource that." Mr Marles did not speak directly with Mr Trump, nor US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, despite intensive efforts by government officials to tee up a first face-to-face meeting of an Australian minister with the US president. The deputy prime minister did however meet with Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov as Australia reaffirmed its support of Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Mr Marles announced Australia would deploy an RAAF Wedgetail surveillance aircraft to Poland, along with 100 defence force personnel, to help provide visibility for key humanitarian and military supply routes into Ukraine. The aircraft will be deployed for three months, concluding in November, and follows an earlier six-month deployment which was highly valued by the Ukrainians. "It is a really important capability," Mr Marles said. "We are one of the few countries which operates it. And so, when I was in Ukraine in April of last year, it was really evident to me that this is a capability that would be much desired again." Australia announced new financial sanctions and travel bans on 37 individuals and seven financial entities involved in Russia's defence, energy, transport, insurance, electronics and finance sectors, as well as "promulgators of Russian disinformation and propaganda". Mr Marles also signed an agreement with the NATO Support and Procurement Organisation, increasing co-operation in non-combat activities including logistics and capability acquisition. with Reuters Australia is standing firm on defence spending targets despite European nations vowing to rapidly ratchet up expenditure under pressure from US President Donald Trump. On the sidelines of the NATO summit in the Netherlands, Defence Minister Richard Marles said Australia would decide its own spending levels to meet its own military needs. That risks drawing a rebuke from Mr Trump, who made clear he expects allies to drastically step up to reduce their reliance on the US. NATO countries, of which Australia is not a member, agreed to increase defence spending targets to five per cent of GDP. However, Spain refused prompting Mr Trump to threaten to punish the Iberian nation with a tougher trade deal. "You know what we're going to do? We're negotiating with Spain on a trade deal and we're going to make them pay twice as much," he said. Australia is also seeking to negotiate a reprieve from tariffs imposed by the US on imports, including a 50 per cent levy on steel and aluminium. But Mr Marles maintained Australia would stick with its own defence spending process, which will see the nation's share increase from two to 2.3 per cent by 2033/34. "Look, obviously, a very significant decision has been made here in relation to European defence spending, and that is fundamentally a matter for NATO," he said. "We've gone through our own process of assessing our strategic landscape, assessing the threats that exist there, and the kind of defence force we need to build in order to meet those threats, to meet the strategic moment, and then to resource that. "And what that has seen is the biggest peacetime increase in Australian Defence spending. "Now that is a story which is, which is understood here and we'll continue to assess what our needs are going forward. And as our prime minister has said, we will resource that." Mr Marles did not speak directly with Mr Trump, nor US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, despite intensive efforts by government officials to tee up a first face-to-face meeting of an Australian minister with the US president. The deputy prime minister did however meet with Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov as Australia reaffirmed its support of Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Mr Marles announced Australia would deploy an RAAF Wedgetail surveillance aircraft to Poland, along with 100 defence force personnel, to help provide visibility for key humanitarian and military supply routes into Ukraine. The aircraft will be deployed for three months, concluding in November, and follows an earlier six-month deployment which was highly valued by the Ukrainians. "It is a really important capability," Mr Marles said. "We are one of the few countries which operates it. And so, when I was in Ukraine in April of last year, it was really evident to me that this is a capability that would be much desired again." Australia announced new financial sanctions and travel bans on 37 individuals and seven financial entities involved in Russia's defence, energy, transport, insurance, electronics and finance sectors, as well as "promulgators of Russian disinformation and propaganda". Mr Marles also signed an agreement with the NATO Support and Procurement Organisation, increasing co-operation in non-combat activities including logistics and capability acquisition. with Reuters Australia is standing firm on defence spending targets despite European nations vowing to rapidly ratchet up expenditure under pressure from US President Donald Trump. On the sidelines of the NATO summit in the Netherlands, Defence Minister Richard Marles said Australia would decide its own spending levels to meet its own military needs. That risks drawing a rebuke from Mr Trump, who made clear he expects allies to drastically step up to reduce their reliance on the US. NATO countries, of which Australia is not a member, agreed to increase defence spending targets to five per cent of GDP. However, Spain refused prompting Mr Trump to threaten to punish the Iberian nation with a tougher trade deal. "You know what we're going to do? We're negotiating with Spain on a trade deal and we're going to make them pay twice as much," he said. Australia is also seeking to negotiate a reprieve from tariffs imposed by the US on imports, including a 50 per cent levy on steel and aluminium. But Mr Marles maintained Australia would stick with its own defence spending process, which will see the nation's share increase from two to 2.3 per cent by 2033/34. "Look, obviously, a very significant decision has been made here in relation to European defence spending, and that is fundamentally a matter for NATO," he said. "We've gone through our own process of assessing our strategic landscape, assessing the threats that exist there, and the kind of defence force we need to build in order to meet those threats, to meet the strategic moment, and then to resource that. "And what that has seen is the biggest peacetime increase in Australian Defence spending. "Now that is a story which is, which is understood here and we'll continue to assess what our needs are going forward. And as our prime minister has said, we will resource that." Mr Marles did not speak directly with Mr Trump, nor US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, despite intensive efforts by government officials to tee up a first face-to-face meeting of an Australian minister with the US president. The deputy prime minister did however meet with Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov as Australia reaffirmed its support of Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Mr Marles announced Australia would deploy an RAAF Wedgetail surveillance aircraft to Poland, along with 100 defence force personnel, to help provide visibility for key humanitarian and military supply routes into Ukraine. The aircraft will be deployed for three months, concluding in November, and follows an earlier six-month deployment which was highly valued by the Ukrainians. "It is a really important capability," Mr Marles said. "We are one of the few countries which operates it. And so, when I was in Ukraine in April of last year, it was really evident to me that this is a capability that would be much desired again." Australia announced new financial sanctions and travel bans on 37 individuals and seven financial entities involved in Russia's defence, energy, transport, insurance, electronics and finance sectors, as well as "promulgators of Russian disinformation and propaganda". Mr Marles also signed an agreement with the NATO Support and Procurement Organisation, increasing co-operation in non-combat activities including logistics and capability acquisition. with Reuters Australia is standing firm on defence spending targets despite European nations vowing to rapidly ratchet up expenditure under pressure from US President Donald Trump. On the sidelines of the NATO summit in the Netherlands, Defence Minister Richard Marles said Australia would decide its own spending levels to meet its own military needs. That risks drawing a rebuke from Mr Trump, who made clear he expects allies to drastically step up to reduce their reliance on the US. NATO countries, of which Australia is not a member, agreed to increase defence spending targets to five per cent of GDP. However, Spain refused prompting Mr Trump to threaten to punish the Iberian nation with a tougher trade deal. "You know what we're going to do? We're negotiating with Spain on a trade deal and we're going to make them pay twice as much," he said. Australia is also seeking to negotiate a reprieve from tariffs imposed by the US on imports, including a 50 per cent levy on steel and aluminium. But Mr Marles maintained Australia would stick with its own defence spending process, which will see the nation's share increase from two to 2.3 per cent by 2033/34. "Look, obviously, a very significant decision has been made here in relation to European defence spending, and that is fundamentally a matter for NATO," he said. "We've gone through our own process of assessing our strategic landscape, assessing the threats that exist there, and the kind of defence force we need to build in order to meet those threats, to meet the strategic moment, and then to resource that. "And what that has seen is the biggest peacetime increase in Australian Defence spending. "Now that is a story which is, which is understood here and we'll continue to assess what our needs are going forward. And as our prime minister has said, we will resource that." Mr Marles did not speak directly with Mr Trump, nor US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, despite intensive efforts by government officials to tee up a first face-to-face meeting of an Australian minister with the US president. The deputy prime minister did however meet with Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov as Australia reaffirmed its support of Ukraine in its fight against Russia. Mr Marles announced Australia would deploy an RAAF Wedgetail surveillance aircraft to Poland, along with 100 defence force personnel, to help provide visibility for key humanitarian and military supply routes into Ukraine. The aircraft will be deployed for three months, concluding in November, and follows an earlier six-month deployment which was highly valued by the Ukrainians. "It is a really important capability," Mr Marles said. "We are one of the few countries which operates it. And so, when I was in Ukraine in April of last year, it was really evident to me that this is a capability that would be much desired again." Australia announced new financial sanctions and travel bans on 37 individuals and seven financial entities involved in Russia's defence, energy, transport, insurance, electronics and finance sectors, as well as "promulgators of Russian disinformation and propaganda". Mr Marles also signed an agreement with the NATO Support and Procurement Organisation, increasing co-operation in non-combat activities including logistics and capability acquisition. with Reuters
The Advertiser
41 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
CIA says US setback Iran's nuclear program for 'years'
The CIA has added to competing assessments of the US attacks in Iran - saying they caused severe damage to Tehran's nuclear program. Claims that the US bombs may have set Iran's ambitions back by only a few months have drawn the US President's fury. "New intelligence from "historically reliable" methods had shown that "several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years," CIA Director John Ratcliffe said in a statement. The CIA is continuing to analyse the consequences of the attacks, he added. Tulsi Gabbard, the National Intelligence director agreed. Writing on X, she said a potential reconstruction of the facilities that the US bombed, in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan, would take years. However, it remains unclear what new findings led her and the CIA to this new assessment. Gabbard and the CIA's statements support those of President Donald Trump, who claimed the facilities had been completely destroyed. He described the attacks he ordered over the weekend as a death blow to Iran's nuclear program. However a preliminary assessment by the Defence Intelligence Agency, which US media revealed on Tuesday, suggested that Iran's nuclear program had likely only been set back by a few months. The White House sharply attacked the publication of the report's findings, which were classified as "top secret," and dismissed them as "fake news." Trump doubled down on his own assessment of 'total obliteration' when he was speaking to journalists at the NATO summit in The Hague. "I believe it was a total annihilation," Trump said, calling the bombing a "perfect operation." US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine was more reserved in his comments on Sunday, saying there was "severe damage and destruction" at the nuclear facilities. The CIA has added to competing assessments of the US attacks in Iran - saying they caused severe damage to Tehran's nuclear program. Claims that the US bombs may have set Iran's ambitions back by only a few months have drawn the US President's fury. "New intelligence from "historically reliable" methods had shown that "several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years," CIA Director John Ratcliffe said in a statement. The CIA is continuing to analyse the consequences of the attacks, he added. Tulsi Gabbard, the National Intelligence director agreed. Writing on X, she said a potential reconstruction of the facilities that the US bombed, in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan, would take years. However, it remains unclear what new findings led her and the CIA to this new assessment. Gabbard and the CIA's statements support those of President Donald Trump, who claimed the facilities had been completely destroyed. He described the attacks he ordered over the weekend as a death blow to Iran's nuclear program. However a preliminary assessment by the Defence Intelligence Agency, which US media revealed on Tuesday, suggested that Iran's nuclear program had likely only been set back by a few months. The White House sharply attacked the publication of the report's findings, which were classified as "top secret," and dismissed them as "fake news." Trump doubled down on his own assessment of 'total obliteration' when he was speaking to journalists at the NATO summit in The Hague. "I believe it was a total annihilation," Trump said, calling the bombing a "perfect operation." US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine was more reserved in his comments on Sunday, saying there was "severe damage and destruction" at the nuclear facilities. The CIA has added to competing assessments of the US attacks in Iran - saying they caused severe damage to Tehran's nuclear program. Claims that the US bombs may have set Iran's ambitions back by only a few months have drawn the US President's fury. "New intelligence from "historically reliable" methods had shown that "several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years," CIA Director John Ratcliffe said in a statement. The CIA is continuing to analyse the consequences of the attacks, he added. Tulsi Gabbard, the National Intelligence director agreed. Writing on X, she said a potential reconstruction of the facilities that the US bombed, in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan, would take years. However, it remains unclear what new findings led her and the CIA to this new assessment. Gabbard and the CIA's statements support those of President Donald Trump, who claimed the facilities had been completely destroyed. He described the attacks he ordered over the weekend as a death blow to Iran's nuclear program. However a preliminary assessment by the Defence Intelligence Agency, which US media revealed on Tuesday, suggested that Iran's nuclear program had likely only been set back by a few months. The White House sharply attacked the publication of the report's findings, which were classified as "top secret," and dismissed them as "fake news." Trump doubled down on his own assessment of 'total obliteration' when he was speaking to journalists at the NATO summit in The Hague. "I believe it was a total annihilation," Trump said, calling the bombing a "perfect operation." US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine was more reserved in his comments on Sunday, saying there was "severe damage and destruction" at the nuclear facilities. The CIA has added to competing assessments of the US attacks in Iran - saying they caused severe damage to Tehran's nuclear program. Claims that the US bombs may have set Iran's ambitions back by only a few months have drawn the US President's fury. "New intelligence from "historically reliable" methods had shown that "several key Iranian nuclear facilities were destroyed and would have to be rebuilt over the course of years," CIA Director John Ratcliffe said in a statement. The CIA is continuing to analyse the consequences of the attacks, he added. Tulsi Gabbard, the National Intelligence director agreed. Writing on X, she said a potential reconstruction of the facilities that the US bombed, in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan, would take years. However, it remains unclear what new findings led her and the CIA to this new assessment. Gabbard and the CIA's statements support those of President Donald Trump, who claimed the facilities had been completely destroyed. He described the attacks he ordered over the weekend as a death blow to Iran's nuclear program. However a preliminary assessment by the Defence Intelligence Agency, which US media revealed on Tuesday, suggested that Iran's nuclear program had likely only been set back by a few months. The White House sharply attacked the publication of the report's findings, which were classified as "top secret," and dismissed them as "fake news." Trump doubled down on his own assessment of 'total obliteration' when he was speaking to journalists at the NATO summit in The Hague. "I believe it was a total annihilation," Trump said, calling the bombing a "perfect operation." US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine was more reserved in his comments on Sunday, saying there was "severe damage and destruction" at the nuclear facilities.
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41 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Trump says PM Netanyahu's trial should be dropped
US President Donald Trump has called for Israel to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or cancel his trial on corruption charges. Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust - all of which Netanyahu denies. The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases. He has pleaded not guilty. "Bibi Netanyahu's trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State (of Israel)," Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that he had learned that Netanyahu was due to appear in court on Monday. Israeli media have reported that cross-examination of Netanyahu began on June 3 in a Tel Aviv court and was expected to take about a year to complete. Israeli President Issac Herzog has the power to pardon Netanyahu but has been quoted by Israeli media as saying that a pardon is "not currently on the table." He also said that "no such request had been made," according to the reports. Trump extolled Netanyahu and said in his post: "It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu." That appeared to be a reference to US involvement and support for Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear program. Trump announced a ceasefire on Monday. It was unclear if Trump meant the US could do anything to aid Netanyahu in his legal battle. The Republican president described the case against the Israeli leader as a "witch-hunt," a term Trump has frequently applied to US attempts to prosecute him US President Donald Trump has called for Israel to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or cancel his trial on corruption charges. Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust - all of which Netanyahu denies. The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases. He has pleaded not guilty. "Bibi Netanyahu's trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State (of Israel)," Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that he had learned that Netanyahu was due to appear in court on Monday. Israeli media have reported that cross-examination of Netanyahu began on June 3 in a Tel Aviv court and was expected to take about a year to complete. Israeli President Issac Herzog has the power to pardon Netanyahu but has been quoted by Israeli media as saying that a pardon is "not currently on the table." He also said that "no such request had been made," according to the reports. Trump extolled Netanyahu and said in his post: "It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu." That appeared to be a reference to US involvement and support for Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear program. Trump announced a ceasefire on Monday. It was unclear if Trump meant the US could do anything to aid Netanyahu in his legal battle. The Republican president described the case against the Israeli leader as a "witch-hunt," a term Trump has frequently applied to US attempts to prosecute him US President Donald Trump has called for Israel to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or cancel his trial on corruption charges. Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust - all of which Netanyahu denies. The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases. He has pleaded not guilty. "Bibi Netanyahu's trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State (of Israel)," Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that he had learned that Netanyahu was due to appear in court on Monday. Israeli media have reported that cross-examination of Netanyahu began on June 3 in a Tel Aviv court and was expected to take about a year to complete. Israeli President Issac Herzog has the power to pardon Netanyahu but has been quoted by Israeli media as saying that a pardon is "not currently on the table." He also said that "no such request had been made," according to the reports. Trump extolled Netanyahu and said in his post: "It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu." That appeared to be a reference to US involvement and support for Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear program. Trump announced a ceasefire on Monday. It was unclear if Trump meant the US could do anything to aid Netanyahu in his legal battle. The Republican president described the case against the Israeli leader as a "witch-hunt," a term Trump has frequently applied to US attempts to prosecute him US President Donald Trump has called for Israel to pardon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or cancel his trial on corruption charges. Netanyahu was indicted in 2019 in Israel on charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust - all of which Netanyahu denies. The trial began in 2020 and involves three criminal cases. He has pleaded not guilty. "Bibi Netanyahu's trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State (of Israel)," Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that he had learned that Netanyahu was due to appear in court on Monday. Israeli media have reported that cross-examination of Netanyahu began on June 3 in a Tel Aviv court and was expected to take about a year to complete. Israeli President Issac Herzog has the power to pardon Netanyahu but has been quoted by Israeli media as saying that a pardon is "not currently on the table." He also said that "no such request had been made," according to the reports. Trump extolled Netanyahu and said in his post: "It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu." That appeared to be a reference to US involvement and support for Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear program. Trump announced a ceasefire on Monday. It was unclear if Trump meant the US could do anything to aid Netanyahu in his legal battle. The Republican president described the case against the Israeli leader as a "witch-hunt," a term Trump has frequently applied to US attempts to prosecute him
