U.S. President Donald Trump is considering whether to shift back toward a full-scale military campaign against Iran, even as he allows nuclear negotiations to continue for now, The Wall Street Journal reported overnight, citing U.S. officials familiar with the matter.
In recent days, Trump has discussed the possibility of further strikes with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine. According to the report, the conversations examined whether Washington should abandon the diplomatic track and resume large-scale attacks, a step some officials described as an effort to “finish the job.”
US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian
Trump has not made a final decision. For the moment, he has told aides he is comfortable giving the negotiations more time, including beyond the August 18 deadline, in order to leave room for a possible nuclear deal to develop.
At the same time, the president has signaled he may still authorize limited, one-off strikes if Iran violates the memorandum of understanding. That approach mirrors the policy he used over the weekend, when U.S. action led to an exchange of fire in the Persian Gulf.
According to the report, Trump has also argued that another full round of attacks could undercut diplomacy and make it harder for Washington to ultimately dismantle Iran’s nuclear program.