Conflict between “America First” and “Peace Through Strength”: White House balances diplomacy and military pressure on Iran

On June 19, 2025, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that President Trump had set a two-week deadline for deciding whether the United States would use military force against Iran.

Leavitt emphasized that the presidential administration prioritizes a diplomatic resolution to the standoff but is consulting with the National Security Council, considering the option of U.S. military intervention in the conflict to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The fourteen-day pause, established by the Trump administration to formulate Washington’s final stance on its actions in the region, resulted from competing influences of the MAGA movement and neoconservatives vying for control over U.S. foreign policy.