President Donald Trump issued a chilling warning to Tehran on Wednesday, stating that a “massive armada” is steaming toward Iran, “ready, willing, and able” to execute its mission with “speed and violence” if necessary.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump highlighted the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group as a message of deterrence. He “politely” reminded the Iranian government of Operation Midnight Hammer—the June 2025 precision strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities during the 12-day Iran-Israel war—warning that a future offensive would be “far worse” than the destruction witnessed last summer.
Despite the aggressive posturing, the President urged Tehran to return to the negotiating table to reach a “fair and equal deal” centered on a single condition: “NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS.”
US boosts its forces near Iran
The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group has already arrived, according to a Monday post by Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees US forces in the Middle East and West and Central Asia. US forces will conduct a multi-day air exercise in the Middle East as Washington bolsters its military presence in the region.
The exercise would allow airmen to prove “they can disperse, operate, and generate combat sorties under demanding conditions — safely, precisely and alongside our partners,” said a statement from Lt. Gen. Derek France, US Central Command’s AFCENT commander and Combined Forces Air Component commander.
However, Trump is still considering his options on what, if any, action the US take on Iran. “We have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case. I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely,” Trump said Friday.
Related: Trump Warns Iran: “Very Strong Action” Looming Over Execution of Protesters
