On Friday, the US President paid a visit to Fort Bragg in North Carolina, where he met with members of the force that participated in the arrest of Maduro. In his speech to the soldiers, Trump said that creating fear in Tehran may be necessary to reach a peaceful solution to the confrontation with the Iranians.

Published on: 02/13/2026 - 22:29

President Donald Trump, in a speech before American military personnel, considered on Friday that Iran's approach to the nuclear negotiations was "difficult," indicating that inciting fear in Tehran may be necessary to resolve this confrontation peacefully.

Trump said to the soldiers while he was at Fort Bragg in North Carolina: “It is difficult to reach an agreement with them (Iran)... Sometimes you have to create fear. This is the only thing that will resolve the situation.”

These statements came after American officials announced the sending of a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East.

The US President said earlier that the largest aircraft carrier in the world was being sent to be “ready” if negotiations with Iran failed. He also talked about the American bombing of Iranian nuclear sites last June.

Oman mediated the talks between Tehran and Washington last week, and an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that these talks allowed his country to gauge the seriousness of the American side and showed a sufficient degree of consensus to continue the diplomatic path.

The date and location of the next round of talks have not yet been announced.

Trump traveled to Fort Bragg to meet with the special forces that participated in the daring operation carried out on January 3 to arrest Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The base includes about 50,000 soldiers in service, and is located in one of the states where electoral competition is intense in the country.

During the visit, Trump broke with presidential norms and delivered a blunt political speech to soldiers, criticizing his political opponents and warning that Democrats would undermine the military if they won control of Congress in the election.

North Carolina is expected to witness fierce competition for Senate and House seats in the November congressional elections. It will also be one of the most important decisive states for the 2028 presidential elections.

Trump's approval ratings have declined since his inauguration in January 2025, with voters mainly concerned about rising costs of living.

France 24/Reuters

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