A House-backed effort to limit Donald Trump’s military authority over Iran has intensified political tensions as negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme continue.
US President Donald Trump speaks during a public appearance in Washington, DC. | Photo: X/@WhiteHouse
US President Donald Trump on Thursday warned that any attack on American troops by Iran could trigger a swift military response, even as he insisted that preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remains the central goal of ongoing negotiations between the two countries.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump struck a combative tone on both diplomacy and military action, while also attacking members of the US House of Representatives who voted to restrict his authority to launch further military operations against Iran.
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The remarks come at a sensitive moment in US-Iran relations, with diplomatic efforts continuing alongside political divisions in Washington over Trump’s handling of the conflict. A resolution passed by the House this week seeks to limit additional military action against Iran, setting up a fresh confrontation between Congress and the White House.
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Asked whether the US would retaliate if Iran killed American troops, Trump left little room for ambiguity.
“If they kill US troops, I think I would do that very quickly,” he told reporters.
Trump also claimed that Iran’s military capabilities had been severely weakened by previous US actions.
“There is no navy, no air force, we have wiped out their leadership,” he said, while criticising media reports that suggested Iran had weathered the conflict better than expected.
The US President repeatedly stressed that any agreement with Tehran must permanently block its path to a nuclear weapon.
“We’re going to win one way or the other. We’re going to win on paper, or we’re going to win military,” Trump said when asked about the status of negotiations.
According to Trump, the most important condition of any future deal is non-negotiable.
“The main part of the deal is they can’t have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
He also contrasted a possible future agreement with the nuclear deal negotiated during former US president Barack Obama’s administration, arguing that the earlier arrangement would have eventually allowed Iran to obtain nuclear weapons.
“Our deal, if we make that deal, it’s the exact opposite. They will never have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
Trump used the opportunity to defend earlier US military operations targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, claiming they had caused extensive damage.
“We attacked their nuclear sites, and they were obliterated,” he said.
The President also dismissed reports questioning the effectiveness of those operations and maintained that the facilities remain under surveillance.
His comments come as international attention remains focused on Iran’s nuclear programme and the future of negotiations aimed at limiting Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.
Trump’s remarks also followed a significant vote in the House of Representatives, where lawmakers approved a resolution intended to prevent him from taking further military action against Iran without congressional authorisation.
The measure passed by a narrow margin of 215-208, with four Republican lawmakers joining Democrats in support. It will now move to the Senate, though it could eventually face a presidential veto.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the vote as “meaningless” and accused both Democrats and the Republicans who backed the resolution of undermining the country’s interests.
He said lawmakers supporting the measure were attempting to limit his war powers while negotiations with Iran were still underway.
The vote marks the first successful congressional challenge to Trump’s Iran policy since the United States and Israel jointly carried out military strikes against Iran earlier this year.
Even as he defended the possibility of military action, Trump signalled that diplomacy remained on the table. The US President said he was open to engaging with Iran’s leadership if ongoing negotiations produced a breakthrough, stressing that a deal was still his preferred outcome.
“I’d like to see if we make a deal,” Trump said.
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