Trump Weighed Renewed War With Iran To 'Finish The Job', Chose Diplomacy For Now: Report
Trump Weighed Renewed War With Iran To 'Finish The Job', Chose Diplomacy For Now: Report Published By, Last Updated: July 02, 2026, 01:23 IST The
Trump Weighed Renewed War With Iran To 'Finish The Job', Chose Diplomacy For Now: Report Published By, Last Updated: July 02, 2026, 01:23 IST The discussions focused on whether US should abandon diplomacy and launch another military campaign against Iran, with some describing the option as “finishing the job.” File image of US President Donald Trump. (Source: Reuters) United States President Donald Trump has discussed the possibility of further military strikes on Iran with senior defence officials in recent days but has decided, for now, to continue diplomatic negotiations, according to a report published by the Wall Street Journal. The officials said Trump held multiple conversations with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine on whether the United States should end negotiations and resume full-scale military action against Iran. According to the officials, the discussions focused on whether Washington should abandon diplomacy and launch another military campaign, with some describing the option as “finishing the job." Trump Keeps Focus On Diplomacy The officials said Trump has not made a final decision on the military option and has told aides that another round of full-scale attacks could disrupt ongoing negotiations and affect efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear programme, according to WSJ.
Also Read: $3 Billion Frozen Funds, Communication Channel: Inside US-Iran Indirect Talks In Doha They also said Trump has privately indicated he is comfortable if negotiations continue beyond the August 18 deadline that had been set for reaching a nuclear agreement. According to the officials, the president currently prefers responding to alleged violations of the memorandum of understanding with limited military strikes rather than a broader campaign. Military Option Still Under Consideration US officials said Trump has continued to receive military briefings on Iran and has held both formal and informal meetings with his senior defence team. According to the officials, the recent discussions indicate that Trump has not ruled out another military campaign if diplomacy does not succeed. Several officials also said that restarting military operations would amount to acknowledging that the current diplomatic effort had failed to produce the results the administration had sought. Trump Expresses Confidence In Negotiations Despite the discussions on military options, Trump has continued to express confidence in the negotiations. Also Read: Fight, Ceasefire, Repeat: US-Iran Conflict’s Four-Month Timeline Of War And Truce “They’re agreeing to everything that I want, and they have to," he told reporters last week.
