By Isabella Torregiani
3:44pm PST, Feb 20, 2026
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Speaking at the first Board of Peace meeting in Washington, D.C, President
Donald Trump urged Iran to finalize a nuclear deal, warning that "bad things will happen" if it does not comply.
Keep reading for more on Trump's threats… MORE:
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According to
CBS, President Donald Trump has been informed that the U.S. military could be ready to carry out strikes on Iran if ordered.
The news comes as the U.S. continues deploying a large number of military assets to the Middle East amid ongoing nuclear talks with Iran, marking the largest airpower buildup in the region since 2003.
Speaking of the next steps, Trump said, "Now, we may have to take it a step further — or we may not. Maybe we're going to make a deal."
"You're going to be finding out over the next probably 10 days," he added.
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President Donald Trump outlined his vision for peace in the Middle East, noting that cooperation among all nations in the region has played a major role.
"We have peace in the Middle East, think of it. For years, you've been hearing about peace in the Middle East and everybody was saying it's impossible," Trump said.
"All of these countries are working together around the vision of a Middle East that is free from the curse of extremism and terror," he continued.
"And now is the time, and by the way, even people with extremism and preaching extremism, they're exhausted. They're tired. It's been going on for too many years. I don't care who you are. They're tired. They want peace," he added.
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President Donald Trump said peace in the Middle East depends on Iran heeding the call to reach a nuclear agreement with the U.S.
"Now is the time for Iran to join us on a path that will complete what we're doing. And if they join us, that'll be great. If they don't join us, that'll be great too. But it'll be a very different path," he warned.
"They cannot continue to threaten the stability of the entire region, and they must make a deal. Or if that doesn't happen … bad things will happen if it doesn't. With the commitments announced today, the Board of Peace is proving that it does not just convene countries," he added.
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President Donald Trump's Board of Peace was initially focused on rebuilding Gaza after its conflict with Israel, but the organization has since broadened its scope.
"It devises and implements real solutions that happen. We've come up with solutions," the president said of his brainchild.
"People would talk about peace in the Middle East and then they'd go home and they'd never even think about it again. Nothing would happen. We're providing a model for how responsible sovereign nations can cooperate to take responsibility for confronting problems in their own regions," he continued.
Trump wrapped up by saying the Board of Peace is "showing how a better future can be built" and announced that the United States will contribute $10 billion to the organization.
