A senior official in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that he is "the most combative person at the highest levels" of the government, as rhetoric toward Iran continues to escalate.
According to a report by Axios, based on interviews with several officials and sources with direct knowledge of the ongoing diplomacy, Trump has warned that "a civilization will die tonight" if Iran does not reach an agreement with the United States to end the conflict.
"If the president sees that a deal is taking shape, he might back off. But only he, and only he, makes that decision," said a senior administration official.
Another source described Trump as "the most hawkish," emphasizing that other key figures like Marco Rubio or Pete Hegseth appear "like doves" in comparison to him.
Meanwhile, conservative journalist and commentator Tucker Carlson has called for the American establishment to oppose any potential orders for attacks on Iranian civilians.
"Now is the time to say no, absolutely not," Carlson expressed, adding that officials should resist any such decision by the President.
Trump responded to his statements in an interview with the New York Post, labeling Carlson "a low-IQ person who has no idea what is happening."
These developments come at a critical moment for U.S.-Iran relations, as pressure for an agreement increases and concerns about a potential escalation of the conflict grow simultaneously.