During a press statement, Trump stated that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates asked him to delay the operation "two or three days" while continuing talks with Tehran. He explained that different countries had warned him that the United States was preparing to launch "a very important attack" imminently.
The president stated that the negotiations with Iran are at a "very important" stage and expressed his desire to avoid a military escalation if it is ultimately possible to prevent the Iranian regime from developing a nuclear weapon. However, he warned that Washington "cannot allow" Iran to obtain military nuclear capability and assured that the U.S. military remains prepared to act. The geopolitical tension affected international markets, with declines in several stock exchanges and a rise in oil prices. Trump also described as "terrible" the shooting incident at an Islamic center in San Diego, being investigated by the police as a possible hate crime.