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Saturday, November 14, 2026
Trump told advisers he may not attack Iran as long as it doesn’t provoke US, sources say
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WASHINGTON/RIYADH — US President Donald Trump has told senior advisers in recent days that he may hold off on attacking Iran if the US faces no new provocations from Tehran or the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, according to three people familiar with the matter.
Trump has alternated between threats of escalating the war with new strikes and winding down hostilities, and current and former officials say he does not appear to have made up his mind about how to resolve the unpopular conflict, which he launched in February with Israel.
But in meetings with his national security advisers and after a series of intelligence briefings, Trump said he was considering holding off on strikes, the people say, who, like others interviewed for this story, speak on condition of anonymity.
He has also indicated sympathy for allies in the region who have asked him not to return to a full-fledged war.
“I could end it immediately, but at the request of the nations that I am looking to protect, we are doing it a little bit longer way, a bit more civilly,” Trump told sports broadcaster Stephen A. Smith on Thursday.
Trump’s private comments build on public remarks playing down the likelihood of major warfare resuming.
“As Commander-in-Chief, President Trump is the architect and sole decision-maker who holds all the cards and will always ensure that America’s interests are protected,” a White House official says in a statement. “The United States is in a very strong position with control of the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian economy collapsing. Only President Trump knows what he will do, and when.”
The CIA and Office of the Director of National Intelligence do not respond to requests for comment.
In phone calls over the past two weeks, Trump asked for opinions from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, who both urged him not to resume attacks on Iran, according to a senior US official and another person familiar with the matter. They say Trump made no commitment either way.
Trump told bin Salman on October 31 that he was planning to attack after the elections, but the crown prince pleaded for him to hold off, arguing that economic sanctions against Iran were working, according to two more people familiar with the discussion.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
The Times of Israel Community.