In an interview with the Financial Times, Trump said that the United States has no immediate plans to strike Iran, adding “We seem to be getting everything we want,” in the six-minute telephone call on Tuesday.
He stressed that US forces are ready to act if necessary, and that the US is not really fighting Iran. He declined to disclose any potential military plans in advance, but indicated that discussions with Tehran are ongoing.
The comments sit awkwardly beside plenty of reports, such as The New York Times reported the same day that US Central Command has a plan to begin strikes as early as Wednesday, after the midterm elections.
Gulf allies have also reportedly been told to prepare for possible strikes after November 4. Meanwhile Vice President JD Vance said the US is feeling pretty good about the prospects of a deal with Iran.
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Yet tensions have continued on the water; as the US recently carried out what it called “defensive” strikes on Iran’s Qeshm island in the Strait of Hormuz.
There is also an internal dispute over the intelligence driving policy. The NYT reported that some US officials believe the intelligence used to push Trump into renewing the war was flawed, while Gulf countries viewed that assessment as unserious.
Iranian voices are skeptical that Washington can find a quick exit. State TV commentators have questioned whether Trump can end the conflict with a short military operation, arguing that the unresolved confrontation over Hormuz and the threat of economic retaliation could frustrate an attempt to strike and declare victory.
Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, and a ceasefire followed in April. Since then, Trump’s public messaging has swung between threats and openness to a deal, which makes any single statement a limited guide to what comes next.
