February 25, 2026 | 09:58 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – US President Donald Trump has denied reports that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine opposes a planned US military strike against Iran. According to a report by TRT World, Trump called the reports untrue.
“There are many stories circulating from the Fake News Media that General Daniel Caine, sometimes called Razin, is against us going to war with Iran,” Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform on Monday. “Those stories do not attribute this extensive knowledge to anyone, and are 100% untrue,” he said.
Trump’s statement came after local media reported that Caine had advised Trump and other top officials that a military campaign against Iran could be risky. Trump said that while Caine, like other officials, prefers to avoid war, he is ready to carry out operations if ordered.
“General Caine, like all of us, would like to avoid war, but if the decision were made to act against Iran on a military level, he believes it would be an easy win,” Trump said.
Trump: I Make the Decision
Trump asserted that the final decision regarding military action rests with him. According to Anadolu Agency, he stated that he would prefer a negotiated agreement, but warned of serious consequences if it were not reached.
"I'm the one who makes the decisions, and I'd rather have a deal than not have one, but if we don't have a deal, it will be a very bad day for that country and, very sadly, for its people, because they are great and extraordinary, and something like this should never happen to them," he said.
Trump previously ordered strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities last year. He has also repeatedly threatened Tehran with further military action if ongoing negotiations do not produce a replacement for the nuclear deal he abandoned in 2018 during his first term.
Military Pressure and Continued Negotiations
According to the report, Washington has deployed significant military force to the Middle East. The United States has sent two aircraft carriers, more than a dozen warships, a large number of fighter jets, and various other military assets to the region.
Despite rising tensions and speculation of war, diplomatic channels remain open. A US official stated that the next round of talks with Tehran will take place this coming Thursday. Iranian and US delegations are scheduled to meet again in Geneva, Switzerland, to continue discussions on a possible new nuclear deal.
Read: Indonesia Ready to Evacuate Citizens in Iran Amid US Tension
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