Some of President Donald Trump’s advisers have warned him in private to find a way to end the war with Iran over fears of political backlash, according to a report.
In recent days, aides have urged Trump to make the case that the U.S. military had mostly achieved its objectives and told the president to communicate an exit plan for the joint American and Israeli bombing campaign, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter.
His advisers are reportedly concerned that a drawn-out war could “deplete” Trump’s support among his conservative base as the conflict has already split his MAGA following and prompted some Republicans to speak out, though largely anonymously.
The reported closed-door discussions follow Trump’s public remarks Monday, where he said the war could end “very soon” and it was “very complete, pretty much.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the report as “full of crap from anonymous sources” who “are not in the room” with Trump.
“The president’s top aides are focused 24/7 on ensuring Operation Epic Fury continues to be a tremendous success, and the end of these operations will ultimately be determined by the commander in chief,” Leavitt said in a statement to the WSJ.
Some of the president’s aides “watched with alarm” as oil prices rocketed to over $100 a barrel, and they reportedly fielded calls from “some nervous Republicans” about the 2026 midterm elections, the newspaper reported.
Trump has also been briefed on polling about the war, according to the WSJ. The latest polling showed that a majority of Americans are opposed to the military action in Iran, with 77 percent expecting it will result in a terror attack on U.S. soil.
Leavitt claimed that “the vast majority of Americans support ending the threat posed by the Iranian regime and support killing terrorists.”
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi signaled that Iran was no closer to backing down. “We are well prepared to continue attacking them with our missiles as long as needed and as long as it takes,” Araghchi told PBS.
Trump has been “surprised at times” that Tehran won’t cave, despite the near-constant bombardment from the U.S. and Israel, according to the WSJ, citing people familiar with the president’s thinking.
He told Fox News that he is “not happy” with the installation of Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Iran’s next supreme leader.
“I don’t believe he can live in peace,” Trump said Tuesday.
