U.S. President Donald Trump told senior national security advisers he may hold off on further military strikes against Iran unless provoked by Tehran or Houthi forces. Regional leaders including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan urged restraint, while Israeli officials lobbied for renewed campaigns. The decision follows the November 2026 midterms where Democrats seized Congress, driven by voter discontent over rising fuel costs and war expenditures.
Trump on pausing military action
- ▪President Donald Trump told sports broadcaster Stephen A. Smith on November 12, 2026 that he could end the conflict immediately but is proceeding more civilly at the request of protected nations
- ▪U.S. President Donald Trump told senior national security advisers he may hold off on military attacks against Iran barring new provocations from Tehran or Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen
US leverage via Strait of Hormuz
- ▪A White House official stated that President Donald Trump is the sole decision-maker regarding military action and that the United States holds a strong position through control of the Strait of Hormuz
- ▪In a social media post on November 12, 2026, President Donald Trump stated the United States does not need a deal with Iran because it controls Iran's money and the Strait of Hormuz
Foreign leaders urge restraint
- ▪Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pleaded with President Donald Trump on October 31, 2026 to hold off on planned post-election military strikes, arguing economic sanctions against Iran were working
- ▪Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan spoke with President Donald Trump three times starting October 28, 2026, with an official readout from November 7 emphasizing that U.S.-Iran tensions must end
Debate over US munitions supply
- ▪A White House official stated the U.S. Military maintains sufficient munitions and ammunition to fulfill all strategic goals set by the Commander-in-Chief
- ▪U.S. intelligence briefings indicated that U.S. stockpiles of long-range precision munitions drew down significantly since August 2026 without being replenished
Political fallout and public opposition
- ▪In a Reuters/Ipsos poll taken before the November 3, 2026 midterm elections, 55 percent of Americans stated the war with Iran was not worth the cost
- ▪The military conflict with Iran launched by the United States and Israel raised global fuel prices and proved broadly unpopular with U.S. voters
- ▪Vice President JD Vance cited the conflict with Iran as the primary reason Republicans lost control of the U.S. Congress to Democrats in the November 2026 midterm elections
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