Trump has told advisers he may hold off on attacking Iran if there are no new provocations, sources say
President Donald Trump has told senior advisers in recent days that he may hold off on attacking Iran if the US faces no new provocations from Tehran or the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Türkiye's President Erdoğan have both urged him not to resume attacks, the sources say. The White House says only Trump knows what he will do. The account rests on anonymous sourcing and has not been confirmed by any official announcement.
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Key points
- Trump may hold off on new Iran strikes if there are no new provocations, three people familiar with the matter tell Reuters — an anonymous-source account, not an announced decision.
- Saudi Arabia's crown prince and Türkiye's president have both urged him not to resume attacks, the sources say.
- The White House says only Trump knows what he will do, and the US military is reported ready to escalate if needed.
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- A Reuters/Ipsos poll before the midterms put 55 percent of Americans against the war's cost.
What happened
The war Trump launched with Israel in February has pushed up global fuel prices and turned unpopular at home: the Republicans lost control of Congress in the 3 November midterms, and the president has alternated in public between threatening escalation and winding down hostilities.
This week he signalled both directions at once — telling an interviewer he was taking a longer, 'more civil' route at the request of the nations the US is protecting, while posting that the US does not need a deal with Iran.
What we know / what we don't know yet
What we know
- Trump's public remarks this week, and the White House's on-record statement that only he knows what he will do.
- Türkiye's presidency confirms three Trump–Erdoğan calls since 28 October and a 7 November readout stressing that tensions need to end.
What we don't know yet
- Whether Trump will in fact hold off — the private remarks are reported by anonymous sources, and he has made no commitment, the sources say.
- Iran's response to the reported position — none was in the reporting read.
- What would count as a new provocation — no definition was reported.
Claim by claim
Show all claims (6)
Why this label: The account of private remarks rests on anonymous sources speaking to Reuters; no official has announced a decision, and Trump has made no commitment either way, the sources say.
On the ladder: the evidence so far sits low — early, single or social sources. We publish the claim as a claim, never as fact.
Why this label: Both are the president's own public words, reported by Reuters; what he will actually do is a separate question, carried in the don't-know list.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: The White House's on-record response to Reuters; it neither confirms nor denies the reported private remarks.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: The leaders' advice rests on anonymous sourcing. On the record: Türkiye's presidency says Trump and Erdoğan have spoken three times since 28 October, and its readout of the 7 November call stressed that US–Iran tensions need to end; Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry did not respond to Reuters.
On the ladder: the evidence so far sits low — early, single or social sources. We publish the claim as a claim, never as fact.
Why this label: Assessments and planning details from anonymous officials reported by Reuters; Israeli officials have continued to lobby the administration for another military campaign, according to a US official in the same report.
On the ladder: the evidence so far sits low — early, single or social sources. We publish the claim as a claim, never as fact.
Why this label: The poll is Reuters/Ipsos's own, reported by Reuters; Vance's attribution is his stated position.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why it matters
Whether the United States resumes striking Iran decides fuel prices, shipping through Hormuz and the risk of a wider war. The reporting suggests the decision is genuinely open — and that Gulf and Turkish leaders are pressing for restraint while Israeli officials press the other way.
Background
The US and Israel launch the war on Iran.
US midterm elections: Republicans lose control of Congress; a pre-election Reuters/Ipsos poll put 55 percent of Americans against the war's cost.
Trump posts that the US does not 'need a deal with Iran.'
Update history
No silent edits. Every change is written here, with its time.
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Published in Checking state — the reported private remarks rest on anonymous sources and no decision has been announced, so they are labelled as reported while checking continues.