Trump Weighed Renewed War With Iran To 'Finish The Job', Chose Diplomacy For Now: Report

Last Updated:July 02, 2026, 01:23 IST

The discussions focused on whether US should abandon diplomacy and launch another military campaign against Iran, with some describing the option as “finishing the job.”

United States President Donald Trump has discussed the possibility of further military strikes on Iran with senior defence officials in recent days but has decided, for now, to continue diplomatic negotiations, according to a report published by the Wall Street Journal.

The officials said Trump held multiple conversations with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine on whether the United States should end negotiations and resume full-scale military action against Iran.

According to the officials, the discussions focused on whether Washington should abandon diplomacy and launch another military campaign, with some describing the option as “finishing the job."

Trump Keeps Focus On Diplomacy

The officials said Trump has not made a final decision on the military option and has told aides that another round of full-scale attacks could disrupt ongoing negotiations and affect efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear programme, according to WSJ.

Also Read: $3 Billion Frozen Funds, Communication Channel: Inside US-Iran Indirect Talks In Doha

They also said Trump has privately indicated he is comfortable if negotiations continue beyond the August 18 deadline that had been set for reaching a nuclear agreement.

According to the officials, the president currently prefers responding to alleged violations of the memorandum of understanding with limited military strikes rather than a broader campaign.

Military Option Still Under Consideration

US officials said Trump has continued to receive military briefings on Iran and has held both formal and informal meetings with his senior defence team.

According to the officials, the recent discussions indicate that Trump has not ruled out another military campaign if diplomacy does not succeed.

Several officials also said that restarting military operations would amount to acknowledging that the current diplomatic effort had failed to produce the results the administration had sought.

Trump Expresses Confidence In Negotiations

Despite the discussions on military options, Trump has continued to express confidence in the negotiations.

Also Read: Fight, Ceasefire, Repeat: US-Iran Conflict’s Four-Month Timeline Of War And Truce

“They’re agreeing to everything that I want, and they have to," he told reporters last week. “Otherwise, we just go back and do what we have to do," Trump said.

A White House official said diplomacy remains Trump’s preferred approach and said Iran should take the opportunity to reach an agreement with the United States.

US-Iran Doha Talks

Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner travelled to Doha on Tuesday for another round of negotiations.

According to Qatari officials, the talks remained indirect, with mediators relaying messages between the US and Iranian delegations. Technical teams from both countries were also expected to continue indirect discussions during the week.

The negotiations are now in their second week under a 60-day framework agreed last month.

Also Read: US, Iran Agree To Halt Attacks After Days Of Escalation, Hold Strait Of Hormuz Talks In Qatar

One of the main issues under discussion remains the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the report, Iran wants to impose fees on ships transiting the strategic waterway, while the United States maintains that international shipping should continue without such charges, as it did before the conflict.

The US and Iran are also facing differences over Iran’s nuclear programme. Tehran has maintained that it will not accept sweeping restrictions on its nuclear activities, despite Trump’s repeated statements that Iran has already agreed to such limits.

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Prisha Vibhavari

Prisha is the Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, with more than 10 years of experience in national and international news. She specialises in editorial leadership, sharp news judgment, and high-impact st...Read More

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