Donald Trump’s deliberations on whether to authorize airstrikes against Iran are being crucially shaped by advice from his special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, as Washington awaits Tehran’s latest proposal to curb its nuclear program. According to a Guardian report citing people familiar with internal discussions, the president has yet to make a final decision, with a round of high-stakes talks scheduled for Thursday in Geneva.
High Stakes Geneva Talks to Shape Trump’s Iran Calculus
Witkoff and Kushner will lead the upcoming talks, which U.S. officials describe as a last-minute diplomatic effort. Their assessment of whether Iran is negotiating in good faith — or merely stalling — is expected to weigh heavily on Trump’s final decision.
The administration expects to receive Iran’s updated proposal this week. Officials have indicated that if diplomacy breaks down, Trump is considering a staggered response: limited airstrikes aimed at forcing Tehran back to the table and, failing that, a much broader military campaign aimed at destabilizing the ruling clerical establishment.
A U.S. official confirmed Monday that Witkoff has attended all key meetings related to Iran and remains central to the advisory group shaping the president’s options.
Internal Negotiations: Military Options and Strategic Risk
Trump has received several briefings on military contingencies, including a session in the White House Situation Room on Wednesday. In recent weeks, he has also discussed opinions across the West Wing.
Senior advisors involved in the negotiations include Vice President JD Vance; Secretary of State Marco Rubio; CIA Director John Ratcliffe; Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth; Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles; and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Vance reportedly formulated arguments for and against the raids and pressed General Caine on the operational risks. Caine’s primary concern centers on the limited supply of anti-missile systems. During last year’s US strikes on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities, Washington deployed 30 Patriot missiles to intercept retaliatory fire – the largest single use of the system in US history.
Iran’s response at the time was measured. This time, however, Tehran promised maximum retaliation. Its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently warned of the ability to sink a US warship in the event of further aggression.
While Caine reportedly voiced stronger reservations as part of Pentagon discussions, the White House dismissed suggestions of internal dissent. Spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement that Caine is “a highly respected professional whose job requires him to provide unbiased information to the commander in chief, which he does perfectly,” adding that he did not offer a personal perspective.
Diplomatic trips are being considered
Despite the military build-up, the administration is looking for ways to avert open conflict. One proposal under discussion would allow Iran to maintain limited nuclear enrichment solely for medical research, treatment or civilian energy purposes.
Rubio is expected to travel to Israel on February 28 to brief Benjamin Netanyahu on the outcome of the talks, according to individuals familiar with the plans.
Still, positions on both sides seem to be hardening. Witkoff said on Fox News that Trump’s directive was intended to ensure that Iran maintains a zero-enrichment capability. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on CBS’s Face the Nation that Tehran is not ready to give up its uranium enrichment rights.
The largest US military building since the 2003 invasion of Iraq
As diplomatic prospects dwindle, Washington has assembled the largest concentration of air power in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The USS Gerald Ford, the Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, is due to arrive in the region within days to join another group of carriers.
The deployment includes dozens of F-35 and F-22 fighter jets, along with bombers and aerial refueling aircraft. An expanded presence would allow for a sustained air campaign rather than a limited operation similar to last summer’s strikes, when B-2 bombers flew from the United States to target enrichment sites at Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz.
Trump pushes back on reports of Pentagon dissent
Amid growing speculation about divisions within his national security team, Donald Trump has moved to quash suggestions that General Daniel Caine opposes potential military action against Iran.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump dismissed reports that Caine — sometimes nicknamed “Razin” — had expressed reservations about striking Tehran. He characterized the claims as baseless and accused unnamed media outlets of spreading anonymous claims without evidence.
Trump said that while Caine, like others in the administration, would prefer to avoid war, the general believes that if military action is authorized, “something would be easily won.” He emphasized Caine’s familiarity with Iran, drawing attention to his leadership of “Midnight Hammer,” a previous U.S. operation targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. According to Trump, this campaign has decisively crippled Tehran’s nuclear development capabilities through B-2 bomber strikes.
Seeking to push for unity within the defense establishment, Trump described Caine as a formidable military leader who represents what he called “the most powerful military anywhere in the world.” He insisted that the general had neither protested against the action nor endorsed limited strikes as a compromise option, dismissing such portrayals as fabrications.
Trump reaffirmed his authority and emphasized that the final decision rests with him alone. He reiterated his preference for a negotiated settlement, but warned that failure to reach an agreement would have serious consequences for Iran. While sharply criticizing the country’s leadership, he added that its people were “great and wonderful” and suggested they should not bear the cost of the diplomatic collapse.
The statement appeared designed to stabilize a perception of domestic cohesion at a time when Washington’s military posture in the Middle East is strengthening and negotiations with Tehran are nearing a tipping point.
