Trump on whether the U.S. is going to war with Iran: 'I hope not'

(Image credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

published 16 May 2019

President Trump was not especially committal on Thursday when asked if a war with Iran is imminent.

As he welcomed the president of Switzerland to the White House, Trump faced a question from a reporter who asked, "Mr. President, are we going to war with Iran?" Trump responded, "I hope not."

This comes as the Trump administration has reportedly reviewed a plan to potentially send up to 120,000 troops to the Middle East as it receives information that military officials characterize as "credible" threats to U.S. interests, although some are skeptical. Trump is reportedly frustrated with his advisers and fearful that they could bring the U.S. to war, as The Washington Post reports. On Wednesday, the president insisted there is no infighting among his administration, adding, "I'm sure that Iran will want to talk soon."

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Trump had started the week with a similarly non-committal answer on a potential military conflict, saying, "We'll see what happens with Iran" and that "if they do anything, they will suffer greatly." Some Republicans have expressed frustration with the White House for not providing more information, with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) telling CNN's Manu Raju on Thursday, "I think they should tell us what the hell is going on." Brendan Morrow

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

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