Video: Trump deploys armada to Iran amid nuclear tensions
Abdullateef Fowewe
United States President Donald Trump has announced the deployment of a U.S. naval armada toward Iran during a speech in Iowa, signaling a return to his “maximum pressure” strategy as tensions flare over Tehran’s nuclear program and proxy conflicts.
“And just — and by the way, there’s another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now. So we’ll see. I hope they make a deal. I hope they make a deal,” Trump stated, referencing the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group moving into position as a deterrent.
The move echoes Trump’s first term, when he withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and ramped up sanctions.
It stands in stark contrast to the Biden administration’s stalled negotiations, hampered by Iran’s uranium enrichment surpassing 60% purity, according to the latest IAEA report.
Iranian officials brushed off the comments as “bluster,” while Israel and other U.S. allies praised the military buildup.
Regional military drills announced on January 27 heighten fears of escalation, though Trump stressed his preference for diplomacy: “I hope they make a deal.”
