Fact Check: Did Trump seek peace with Iran amid rising tensions?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amid the fragile ceasefire and failed peace talks between the United States and Iran, which have intensified geopolitical tensions, a video has been going viral on social media platforms claiming to show President Donald Trump seeking peace with Iran, sparking speculation.
Let us analyse the video and fact-check the claim's authenticity.
Claim: Trump sought peace with Iran
The video claims that Trump is pleading for peace because the US and Israeli military are no longer capable of war.
The eight-minute video further alleges that Iranian missiles levelled the cities of Haifa and Tel Aviv during the conflict that erupted in late February.
The video has garnered millions of views and hundreds of thousands of likes, with comments indicating that many believe the claim to be true, while a few others remain sceptical.
Fact Check: No peace statements have been issued by the United States
Despite a two-week ceasefire, there is no evidence that President Trump sought peace with Iran.
The video is a compilation of unrelated clips, with the first eight seconds showing a press conference by the president. A reverse image search traces this clip back to a White House video showing the inauguration of Markwayne Mullin as Secretary of Homeland Security on March 25, 2026.
Another clip showing Trump bowing his head is taken from a prayer meeting at the Latino Summit in Florida on October 22, 2024.
Footage of a destroyed apartment building is identical to a France24 report, depicting the aftermath of an Iranian missile strike on the city of Arad in southern Israel on March 22, which left at least 100 people injured.
A search of credible news archives confirms that no official peace statements have been issued by the United States, Israel, or Iran.
Trump warns bombs if Iran ceasefire fails
Trump said on Monday, April 20, that violence could resume if the ceasefire with Iran expires, warning that “lots of bombs start going off.”
The remarks came during a phone interview with PBS News, as uncertainty continues over upcoming negotiations. A US delegation is expected to travel to Islamabad for talks, though Iran has not confirmed its participation.
“I don't know. I mean, they're supposed to be there. We agreed to be there, although they say we didn't. But no, it was set up. And we'll see whether or not it's there. If they're not there, that's fine too,” the president said, expressing uncertainty over whether Iran would attend the planned negotiations in Islamabad.
