WASHINGTON, Feb 24 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump’s first option with Tehran is always diplomacy but he is willing to use lethal force if necessary, his spokeswoman said on Tuesday as his top diplomat prepares to brief top congressional leaders on Iran later in the day.
“President Trump’s first option is always diplomacy. But as he has shown … he is willing to use the lethal force of the United States military if necessary,” Karoline Leavitt told reporters at the White House. “The president is always the final decision maker around here.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to brief top congressional leaders known as the Gang of Eight at the White House later on Tuesday, according to the U.S. State Department. Rubio is expected to brief the lawmakers on Iran, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The United States has deployed a vast naval force near the Iranian coast ahead of possible strikes on the Islamic Republic. Trump on February 19 said he was giving Tehran about 10 to 15 days to make a deal.
Trump could address his threatened strikes against Iran over its nuclear program in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday night.
(Reporting by Susan Heavey, Jonathan Landay, Erin Banco and Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Chizu Nomiyama)
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