'I was an hour away from striking Iran': Trump warns attack possible at ‘moment’s notice’ if negotiation fails
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'I was an hour away from striking Iran': Trump warns attack possible at ‘moment’s notice’ if negotiation fails")
US President Donald Trump speaks to the media alongside posters of his proposed White House ballroom amid construction at the White House on May 19, 2026, in Washington, DC. Photograph: (AFP)
Trump said the United States was negotiating with Iran, claiming that Tehran was “begging” for an agreement while warning of fresh strikes if peace talks fail.
A day after US President Donald Trump declared that he had postponed fresh strikes against Iran at the request of Gulf countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Trump on Tuesday (May 19) claimed that the United States had come extremely close to launching a military strike against Iran, saying he was just one hour away from ordering the attack and that ships and boats had already been loaded in preparation.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, the US President accused Iran of being “the bully of the Middle East for 47 years” and stressed that Washington must ensure that the country “doesn’t get a nuclear weapon”.
“We are negotiating with Iran. They are begging to make a deal,” Trump said, while also warning that further military action could still be possible. “We may have to give them another big hit, I’m not sure,” he added.
Trump also reiterated his claim that Iran’s missile capabilities had been significantly weakened, even as Tehran remained defiant and threatened consequences if the US launched fresh strikes.
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“Iran’s missiles are 82 per cent gone. They still have a little capacity,” he told reporters.
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Trump says China assures no weapons for Iran
The US President revealed that Chinese President Xi Jinping had assured him that Beijing would not provide military support to Iran.
“President Xi has promised me he won’t send any weapons to Iran,” Trump said, adding that the two leaders shared a strong personal rapport.
Trump further claimed that China wanted the Strait of Hormuz to remain operational amid rising regional tensions.
“China wants Hormuz open, we will get it open,” he said.
Referring to the ongoing conflict, Trump thanked Americans for their patience and suggested that the war would continue for some more time.
“I appreciate everybody putting up with the war. It will just be a little while longer,” he said.
Trump also pointed to the performance of the US economy and stock markets despite the conflict.
“Even during the war, we had the highest stock market we’ve ever had,” he claimed.
“Most people agree with me over Iran. Everybody says Iran shouldn’t have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
These remarks came after Trump on Monday announced that he was postponing a planned military attack on Iran that had been scheduled for Tuesday following requests from Gulf leaders and amid renewed negotiations with Tehran. He made the announcement on Truth Social shortly after Iran confirmed it had responded to a new US proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.
The president said he would “hold off on our planned military attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was scheduled for tomorrow”.
The Gulf nations believe “a Deal will be made” that includes “NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN!” Trump added. Trump also said he had informed the US military “that we will NOT be doing the scheduled attack of Iran tomorrow.” However, he warned that military action could resume if talks fail. “I have further instructed them to be prepared to go forward with a full, large-scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice, if an acceptable Deal is not reached,” he said.,” he wrote on Truth Social.
