Trump rejects reports top US general warned against Iran strike
President Donald Trump has dismissed reports that his top military adviser urged caution over potential air strikes on Iran, insisting the general believes any conflict would be “easily won.”
US media outlets reported that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Air Force General Dan Caine, had warned that strikes on Iran could be risky and potentially draw the United States into a prolonged regional conflict. According to the reports, General Caine cautioned that military action could trigger retaliatory attacks by Iranian proxies or escalate into a wider conflict requiring additional US forces.
In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump described the reports as “fake news.”
“General Caine, like all of us, would like not to see war, but, if a decision is made on going against Iran at a military level, it is his opinion that it will be something easily won,” Trump wrote. “He has not spoken of not doing Iran, or even the fake limited strikes that I have been reading about. He knows only one thing, how to win, and, if he is told to do so, will be leading the pack.”
The reports, first published by Axios and later carried by The Washington Post, cited sources familiar with internal discussions who said Caine and other Pentagon officials had raised serious concerns during meetings about the risks of a US military operation against Iran. Axios said Caine was among several advisers urging the president to proceed cautiously.
The developments come as the US reinforces its military presence in the region, in one of the largest build-ups in decades, to pressure Iran over its nuclear programme. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are scheduled to meet Iranian negotiators in Geneva as talks continue.
Trump has said he is considering a limited military strike and warned on 19 February that the world would find out “over the next, probably, 10 days” whether the US would reach a deal with Iran or take military action.
Meanwhile, US forces have expanded their presence in the region, including refuelling and heavy lift aircraft and significant naval assets. BBC Verify confirmed that the USS Gerald R Ford passed through the Strait of Gibraltar toward the Mediterranean on Friday, while ship-tracking data also showed the USS Mahan transiting the strait. The Gerald R Ford is believed to be heading to the Middle East, where the USS Abraham Lincoln was tracked earlier this week.
Military experts say the build-up gives the US greater operational depth and sustainability than in previous operations, including the January mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and last June’s airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Credit: BBC
