President Trump said Friday the United States remains "locked and loaded" for a potentially much larger military strike on Iran, but stressed he has not made a final decision and that negotiations with Tehran are ongoing — a dual message that left the war's next chapter genuinely uncertain heading into the weekend.

What Trump Said

Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office on July 24, Trump was asked whether he had made a decision regarding larger strikes against Iran. "No, I haven't," he said. "Look, we're talking to them right now. I think they're getting more and more serious as the days go by for maybe the obvious reason." He said the U.S. military could take its recent strikes to a "much higher level" if necessary, adding, "We're prepared to do that, as you know. We're locked and loaded and ready to go."

At a separate White House event the next day, Trump elaborated further, describing two possible paths: "There's a military exit where we just keep going just the way we are, and we can even make it a heavier dose," alongside a diplomatic track he called a "smarter strategy" — one where Iran makes a deal. "They want to make a deal," Trump said. "I just don't think they're ready yet. They want to be the tough guys."

The Nuclear Red Line

Trump reiterated that the core negotiating terms remain simple: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. "If they have even a thought of a nuclear weapon, we will just continue to go at much higher levels," he said.

Who's Actually Negotiating

Trump said Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other senior officials were engaged in talks with Iranian interlocutors, saying simply, "JD and Marco and a lot of people are talking to a lot of people." He also claimed Iran's military leadership had been severely degraded: "We've taken out their first level of leadership. We've then taken out their second level of leadership."

Behind Closed Doors

According to sources cited by The New York Times, Trump met with top national security advisers behind closed doors at the White House on Friday to discuss options on Iran, including the possibility of significantly expanding military action — one of several similar strategy sessions held since the ceasefire broke down.

Iran's Position

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Friday that Iran would "kill one U.S. service member for every Iranian killed." Trump himself declined to answer whether targeting Iranian power plants would constitute a war crime, while separately writing earlier in the week that he would bomb an Iranian bridge or power plant for every ship Iran attacks.

A Widening, Murkier Conflict

Even as Trump and Iran describe talks as ongoing, attacks have continued intensifying and widening across the region. The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that Bahrain and Kuwait — both close U.S. allies — have secretly sent jets to strike sites inside Iran, retaliating after repeated Iranian missile and drone attacks since the broader war began February 28.

Why the Mixed Signals Matter

The gap between Trump's "locked and loaded" military rhetoric and his simultaneous insistence that diplomacy remains active reflects a negotiating posture he's used repeatedly throughout the conflict — projecting maximum pressure while leaving the door open to a deal. Trump also emphasized what he called the significance of the "iron wall" created by the U.S. blockade against Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring that even the diplomatic track is unfolding against a backdrop of active military pressure rather than a genuine pause in hostilities.

What's Next

With Trump declining to specify a timeline or clear "tipping point" for a decision on expanded strikes, and with reports of Bahrain and Kuwait's covert involvement adding a new dimension to the conflict, the coming days remain genuinely unpredictable. Whether the ongoing talks Trump describes produce a breakthrough, or whether the president ultimately authorizes the larger-scale attack he's repeatedly signaled he's considering, is likely to become clearer only as the situation continues to develop.