Trump Meets Cabinet as Major Iran Strike Options Weighed

President Trump met with cabinet members and senior advisers to weigh options for a potential major military strike against Iran, following earlier comments to reporters in the Oval Office in which he said he had not yet made a final decision on large-scale military action.

Asked directly whether he had decided on a major operation against Iran, Trump told reporters, “No, I haven’t made any decision yet.” He said talks with Iran are ongoing and that Tehran is showing seriousness in negotiations, though he added Iran isn’t fully prepared for an agreement yet. “We’re talking to them right now, and I think as the days go by they’re becoming more serious, maybe everyone knows why,” Trump said.

According to Trump, all options regarding Iran remain under consideration, with a final decision to be made based on how the situation develops. He stressed that the United States retains the authority to take necessary action to protect its interests and security — language consistent with the broader pattern of his public statements throughout the conflict, which have repeatedly paired acknowledgment of diplomatic progress with continued threats of escalation.

The cabinet meeting itself suggests the administration is moving beyond rhetorical positioning toward more concrete internal deliberation over strike options, even as Trump publicly maintains that no final decision has been reached. This follows the earlier Axios report indicating Trump was considering a major military operation against Iran, a report he addressed directly in his Oval Office remarks without confirming or fully denying the underlying deliberations.

International concern continues mounting as regional tensions escalate. Analysts have warned that any major military confrontation between the US and Iran could have consequences extending across the entire Middle East and the global economy — a concern already reflected in Brent crude prices climbing past $100 a barrel for a fourth consecutive week and US strategic petroleum reserves falling to 45-year lows amid the ongoing disruption to Gulf shipping routes.

US officials say the negotiating channel remains open, but fundamental disagreements between Washington and Tehran persist. That assessment aligns with Iran’s recent rejection of a ceasefire proposal delivered through Iraq’s prime minister, specifically over unresolved terms regarding the Strait of Hormuz’s future status — the same core sticking point that contributed to the collapse of the earlier Pakistan-brokered memorandum of understanding.

Whether this latest round of cabinet-level deliberation results in the large-scale strikes Trump has previously threatened, or whether continued negotiations produce a breakthrough despite the persistent disagreements, will likely become clearer in the coming days as the administration weighs its options against the backdrop of a conflict that has already expanded across military, economic, and diplomatic fronts simultaneously.