The White House pushed back Saturday after a New York Times report said President Donald Trump had shelved plans to significantly escalate military operations against Iran, emphasizing that the president continues to keep all options on the table.
“President Trump has always been consistent in saying he prefers a diplomatic solution, but he continues to retain all options if Iran continues terrorist activities in the Strait of Hormuz or against allies,” White House Communications Director Steven Cheung told Fox News Digital.
Cheung added that, after “successful sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy and 13 straight days of strikes against military targets in response to their repeated aggression, it would be wise for Iran to work towards a negotiated deal. Otherwise, they know what will happen.”
The statement comes in response to a New York Times report that Trump has, for now, held off on a broader military campaign against Iran after advisors raised concerns about expanding the conflict.
'Disgraceful': ICC Prosecutor Behind Netanyahu Warrant That Fueled Mamdani Arrest Calls Fired
The International Criminal Court prosecutor whose arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu became central to New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s threat to arrest the Israeli leader was dismissed Friday after member states voted to remove him over sexual misconduct allegations.
Karim Khan, the ICC’s chief prosecutor, was removed after a vote by the Assembly of States Parties, the court’s 125-member governing body, following disciplinary proceedings tied to allegations involving a junior female staffer in his office. Khan has denied wrongdoing.
The decision marked the first time in the ICC’s history that a sitting chief prosecutor has been removed from office. Khan’s removal comes days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio launched a U.S. campaign to “dismantle” the ICC, accusing the court of threatening American sovereignty.
Khan became one of the world’s most controversial prosecutors after pursuing ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. The ICC issued the warrants in November 2024, prompting fierce condemnation from Israel and the United States, neither of which is a member of the court.
The warrants also became a flashpoint in New York politics after Mamdani repeatedly invoked the ICC case against Netanyahu. Mamdani said during his campaign that he would seek to arrest Netanyahu if the Israeli prime minister came to New York, and later acknowledged as mayor that the city lacks authority to enforce the warrant while calling on the federal government to do so.
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