President Trump held a critical meeting with his national security team Monday evening to review military options regarding Iran, just hours after announcing a pause in planned strikes. The president has set a tight deadline for diplomatic progress, stating Iran has only "two-three days, maybe Friday or Saturday, early next week" to reach a breakthrough.
Behind the Decision
Officials clarified that Trump had not finalized a decision to strike Iran prior to announcing the pause, despite his claim Tuesday that he was "an hour away" from giving the order. Concerns raised by Gulf leaders about potential Iranian retaliation against oil infrastructure played a significant role in the decision to delay. These leaders urged Trump to allow negotiations another chance.
"We may have to give Iran another big hit. I am not sure yet. You will know soon," Trump said on Tuesday.
Key Attendees and Discussion
The meeting included Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and other senior officials. Discussions focused on the status of diplomatic efforts, the trajectory of the conflict, and various military strike plans.
Some officials close to Trump indicated he remains open to significant military action to push negotiations forward, describing him as being in the mood to "crack their head open" to achieve progress. However, others expressed uncertainty about his next steps, noting he may delay a decision further if no diplomatic breakthrough occurs.
The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the meeting.