President Donald Trump told Fox News that Iran has become "much more aggressive" in nuclear talks.
"Iran is acting much differently in negotiations than it did just days ago," Trump told Fox News' Bret Baier. "Much more aggressive. It's surprising to me. It's disappointing, but we are set to meet again tomorrow - we'll see."
Senior administration officials also told Fox News that Iran appears to be dragging negotiations on without concrete progress while pushing forward with its nuclear efforts.
This comes as Israel is growing more concerned it will have to act unilaterally to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.
TRUMP REJECTS IRAN'S COUNTER-PROPOSAL IN NUCLEAR NEGOTIATIONS: 'IT'S JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE'
Outgoing Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), General Michael E. Kurilla, testified before the House Armed Services Committee earlier on Tuesday that he had "provided a range of options" to Trump to prevent Iran from going forward with their nuclear proliferation program, "but I am in all favor of having a negotiated settlement that prevents Iran from getting a nuclear weapon because of the consequences of conflict."
Kurilla told lawmakers that Iran "still remains the number one malign influence in the Middle East" and has doubled its enrichment capacity in the past six months.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is traveling with Trump aboard Air Force One en route to Fort Bragg in North Carolina on Tuesday.
Earlier Tuesday, Hegseth testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, answering questions from lawmakers on the Trump administration's proposed $1 trillion defense budget for the 2026 fiscal year. Hegseth, though he did not address Iran talks directly, said the budget commits more than $62 billion to "modernize and sustain nuclear forces."
Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., did briefly bring up the looming Iranian nuclear threat while voicing concern that the U.S. is "recapitalizing the entire nuclear deterrent all at once."
"Meanwhile, Russia has recaptured its triad minus some bombers, and China is rapidly expanding its numbers and fielding a triad. Of course, there's also North Korea and the looming prospect of a nuclear Iran," Fleischmann said. "As we focus more on the Pacific, our post-Cold War posture is a concern due to the lack of in-theater, non-strategic nuclear weapons. This creates a deeply worrying capability gap in the most critical theater."
Hegseth pushed back on the congressman's assertion, while underscoring the necessity of updating three components of the nuclear triad - land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and strategic bombers - to perpetuate a credible deterrent against foreign adversaries.
