AI summary
Summary of article:
After the midterm elections, Trump faced the decision of resuming the war with Iran. The military and the hawks wanted to fight, while allies like Rubio, Besant and Qatar advocated diplomacy and cooling Iran.
Voters express their support in the midterm electionsiran War dissatisfaction, Vice President after electionsvanes Everyone took to social media to question whether the war was worth it.trump The president’s advisers and foreign allies are divided over whether he would end or resume war with Iran.
U.S. officials said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Central Command commander Brad Cooper supported resuming large-scale combat operations in recent military briefings, the Wall Street Journal reported. Another person familiar with the matter revealed that several outside offensive advisers have called Trump since Election Day to argue that “forcing Iran to give up its nuclear program” will be his political legacy and that the political sacrifice is worth it. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Besant advocated strengthening sanctions and continuing to block Iran’s trade. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing for another airstrike.
On the other hand, officials revealed that Vance had previously told Trump that he planned to blame his defeat on the war. White House special envoy Steve Witkoff also asked Trump to continue diplomatic efforts to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Other outside advisers also called Trump with messages of hope for an end to the war.
Qatari officials said on the 6th that they are working hard to prevent a new round of US military operations and bridge the differences between the two sides. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Than said at an event in Oxford, England that Qatari mediators were working hard to prevent the situation in the region from escalating again. Mohammed spoke by phone with Trump on the 6th, and Gulf officials said there were signs that both sides were exploring ways to de-escalate the situation.
Gulf foreign ministers are trying to arrange a high-level meeting with Trump in Mandarin or Washington to reach an agreement, people familiar with the matter said. The deal being discussed would reduce the initial negotiation period from 60 days in the June memorandum of understanding to two days, and enter nuclear negotiations as soon as possible, which could allow Trump to end the war with honor, but it is not clear whether Iran would accept such an agreement.
Officials told Trump that there are risks in both war and peace. Iran has threatened that if it is attacked again, it will extend its retaliation outside the Middle East. However, if Trump sends a signal to withdraw its troops, Iran could demand more concessions in negotiations or take control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Officials revealed that Trump’s attitude has been wavering since the vote counting results were announced, sometimes rejecting the election results, sometimes expressing regret and yet not making clear what action he will take. Trump told reporters on the 5th: “Now we will make a decision. I would not like to destroy other parts of Iran if possible, but perhaps I will have to. You will know soon.”
Summary FAQ
-
He would have to choose between resuming military operations and seeking diplomatic ends; The former would increase the risk of regional war and the latter could allow Iran to extract more concessions and affect its political image.
-
Defense Secretary Jesus, Central Command Commander Cooper and some outside offensive advisers all support resuming large-scale operations, believing that forcing Iran to abandon its nuclear program could become Trump’s political legacy.
-
While Rubio and Besant advocate strengthening sanctions, Wyckoff and other outside advisers prefer to end the conflict through diplomacy; Qatar and Gulf countries are also mediating to prevent the situation from worsening further.
