Trump says US 'locked and loaded' for Iran strikes but prefers not to 'destroy rest of country'

President Donald Trump said Thursday the US military is "locked and loaded" for potential strikes on Iran, though he expressed reluctance to "destroy the rest of the country," as Tehran reportedly submitted a nuclear proposal amid ongoing peace talks. Speaking at the Oval Office, Trump said the US is building more weapons than ever before and remains undecided on further action, warning that certifying a strike could take Iran 25 years to rebuild. He partially agreed with Vice President JD Vance's assessment that the Iran war contributed to Republican midterm losses but defended the conflict. Reuters reported Iran sent a nuclear proposal via Qatar, separate from peace deal conditions, which Trump dismissed by saying Iran is "not doing anything without US approval."