U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is weighing the deployment of a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, ramping up pressure on Iran as diplomatic efforts continue.
"We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going," Trump told Axios, confirming that he is "thinking" about an additional deployment.
A U.S. official corroborated that internal discussions regarding a second strike group are underway, which would join the USS Abraham Lincoln currently stationed in the area.
Trump framed the choice for Iran as a binary one, asserting, "Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time," referring to the U.S. strikes last June, when U.S. forces carried out airstrikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities - Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
The U.S. president indicated that he anticipates a second round of negotiations with Iranian officials next week, claiming that Tehran is now more seriously engaged.
