Trump Says US Has No Immediate Plan to Strike Iran, Calls Position “Brilliant”
The president told the Financial Times the US is “locked and loaded” but may not need to act, hours before the midterm polls closed and as Netanyahu pushes for strikes.
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President Donald Trump says the US has no immediate plans to strike Iran, he told the Financial Times. He played down speculation of an escalation, the FT reported on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
Trump said Washington was “locked and loaded” but might not need to act. He described the US position with Tehran as “brilliant.”
Interview on Election Day
The interview came just hours before the midterm polls closed. Trump has said the US would not attack Iran before the vote.
On Monday, he answered “No” when asked whether he would strike Iran after the midterms, NTD reported. He told Axios there was “no need to rush.”
Netanyahu Pushes for Strikes
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pushed for another wave of strikes after the US elections, AP reported. It cited two regional officials and a third person familiar with the matter.
Netanyahu urged Trump to resume combat in a call on Saturday, Oct. 31, NHK reported, citing Axios. Trump would not commit to military action, AP reported.
Mixed Signals From Washington
Trump told Axios: “We will do something one way or another, but there’s no need to rush,” it reported. Vice President JD Vance said the administration felt “pretty good” about the prospects for a deal.
Earlier Tuesday, the New York Times reported the US military is preparing for a possible strike as early as Wednesday. Any strike depends on Trump’s approval.
US forces struck Iran’s Qeshm Island on Monday in what officials called a defensive measure. Israel also told Washington that Iran is weighing chemical weapons use, the Times reported.
Kamer Kurunç
Kamer Kurunç is the Team Leader of Clash Report and has led the outlet for four years. He oversees its breaking world news coverage, from the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war to defense and global politics. His focus is fast, verified, source-based reporting. Follow him on X at @kamerknc.
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