Trump shows patience on Iran but it will not last, US envoy to NATO says
US President Donald Trump is giving Iran time to step back from confrontation but will not remain patient indefinitely, Washington’s ambassador to NATO said, as the United States maintains military pressure while signaling an opening for de-escalation.
Matthew Whitaker told Fox News that Trump has set clear limits for Tehran, saying Iran must not pursue a nuclear weapon and must stop killing protesters at home.
Whitaker said Iran could reduce tensions quickly if it chose to do so, but warned that Trump’s restraint had limits.
“The ball’s in their court, but President Trump is not going to be forever patient on this,” he said.
“President Trump is backing that up with this armada that is sitting off the coast of Iran and in the region,” Whitaker said. He described the deployment as an off-ramp, adding that Washington was “not asking for much.”
