Trump tells troops ‘fear’ is powerful motivator in difficult Iran talks

President Donald Trump told US troops on Friday that Iran has been “difficult” in nuclear negotiations and suggested that instilling fear in Tehran may be necessary to resolve the standoff peacefully.

“They’ve been difficult to make a deal,” Trump said of the Iranians before an audience of active-duty soldiers at Fort Bragg Army base in North Carolina after US officials said they were sending a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East.

“Sometimes you have to have fear. That’s the only thing that really will get the situation taken care of.”

During his address Trump also referenced the US bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites last June.

Earlier, he said the deployment of the world’s largest aircraft carrier was being made so “we’ll have it ready” should negotiations with Iran fail.

Oman facilitated talks between Iran and the US last week, which a spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry said had allowed Tehran to gauge Washington’s seriousness and showed enough consensus for diplomacy to continue. The date and venue of the next round of US-Iran talks have yet to be announced.

The president travelled to Fort Bragg to meet special forces troops involved in the audacious January 3 operation to seize Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Maduro, who faces narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges in US court, denies wrongdoing and maintains he is the rightful leader of Venezuela. In the weeks since the Venezuelan leader’s capture, Trump has worked with Maduro’s interim successor Delcy Rodriguez and sought broad control over the country’s oil industry.

Fort Bragg is home to some 50,000 active-duty soldiers. It also sits in one of the country’s more competitive political states.

North Carolina is expected to host closely fought races for both the Senate and House of Representatives in November’s congressional election. The state will be one of the biggest prizes in the 2028 presidential election.

During the visit, Trump broke with presidential norms and delivered an openly political speech to the troops, blasting his political opponents and warning that Democrats would undermine the military if they won control of Congress in the elections.

Trump’s public approval ratings have slid since his January 2025 inauguration, with voters mainly concerned about the high cost of living. Aides have said the president will eventually travel weekly to competitive states to speak with voters.