Trump weighs military action against Iran with ceasefire "on life support"

Axios
Published

The short version

  • Why it matters: U.S. officials say Trump wants a deal to end the war, but Iran's rejection of many of his demands and refusal to make meaningful concessions on its nuclear program puts the…
  • Driving the news: The U.S. waited 10 days for Iran's response to its draft proposal for ending the war. The White House was optimistic that Iran's positions would show further progress toward a…
  • State of play: Two U.S. officials said Trump is leaning toward taking some form of military action against Iran to increase pressure on the regime and force concessions on its nuclear program.…
  • What to watch: One option Trump is considering is resuming "Project Freedom," the U.S. operation to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz…
  • The big picture: One consideration for Trump as he weighs next steps in the war is his trip to China this week. The president is expected to leave Wednesday and return Friday. Two U.S. officials…

The story

President Trump is meeting with his national security team Monday to discuss the way forward in the Iran war, including possibly resuming military action, after negotiations with the country deadlocked on Sunday, three U.S. officials said.

Why it matters: U.S. officials say Trump wants a deal to end the war, but Iran's rejection of many of his demands and refusal to make meaningful concessions on its nuclear program puts the military option back on the table.


  • Trump publicly threatened several times in recent days to bomb infrastructure facilities in Iran if diplomacy failed.

Driving the news: The U.S. waited 10 days for Iran's response to its draft proposal for ending the war. The White House was optimistic that Iran's positions would show further progress toward a deal.

  • But the Iranian response that arrived on Sunday was not positive. Iran's state TV reported that Tehran has rejected the U.S. proposal, which it said "meant Iran's surrender to Trump's excessive demands."
  • Trump rejected Iran's response on Sunday. "I don't like it. It is inappropriate," he told Axios.

Behind the scenes: Vice President Vance, White House envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Rubio, Secretary of Defense Hegseth, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, CIA director John Ratcliffe and other senior officials are expected to participate in the Iran meeting on Monday, U.S. officials say.

What he's saying: "I have a plan. Iran can't have a nuclear weapon," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Monday before the meeting.

  • "The ceasefire with Iran is on massive life support," Trump added.
  • Trump said Iran had agreed to relinquish its stockpile of enriched uranium to the U.S. But he said the Iranians apparently reversed course because their response Sunday omitted any mention of the issue.
  • Trump said the Iranian leadership is divided between "moderates and lunatics."

State of play: Two U.S. officials said Trump is leaning toward taking some form of military action against Iran to increase pressure on the regime and force concessions on its nuclear program.

  • "He will tune them up a bit," one U.S. official said.
  • "I think we all know where this is going," a second U.S. official said.

What to watch: One option Trump is considering is resuming "Project Freedom," the U.S. operation to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which was suspended last week.

  • Another option is to resume the bombing campaign and strike the 25% of targets the U.S. military identified but hasn't hit yet.
  • The Israeli government wants Trump to order a special forces operation to secure Iran's enriched uranium stockpile. Israeli officials say Trump is hesitant to order such an operation because it is highly risky.

The big picture: One consideration for Trump as he weighs next steps in the war is his trip to China this week.

  • The president is expected to leave Wednesday and return Friday. Two U.S. officials said they don't think Trump would order military action against Iran before he returns from China.
  • U.S. officials say Trump is expected to discuss the Iran war with Chinese President Xi Jinping. China has been urging Iran to reach a deal with the U.S. on ending the war and curbing its nuclear program, so far with no success.
Read the full story at AxiosOriginal

Related Markets

All Markets
View full chart →
View Full Chart

Market data may be delayed. Not financial advice.

How other outlets covered this

Compare all

Alto found this story at 13 outlets. Same event, different framing — compare the headlines.

How this story developed

Full timeline

Alto has tracked this across 32 days of coverage from 8 outlets.

Powered by Gab AI

The Story At A Glance

Reading this article now — analysis appears below

Reading the article

💡 AI analysis provides alternative perspectives on current events

Up next

Related coverage from across the outlets Alto indexes.

Questions Alto can answer

From this story — each link opens a live data page or a tool already filled in.

  1. What is $100 from 1990 worth today?CPI-adjusted dollars — result on the next page
  2. Where does a $75,000 household income rank nationally?Census percentile — national and state
  3. What's Alto covering on the Tech & AI desk?Latest headlines on this beat
  4. What else is Alto tracking on Donald Trump?Topic hub with related coverage

All toolsAll topicsSource directoryStory timelinesHeadline comparisonSearchMost read

From Gab Shop

Official merchandise. Every order funds free speech infrastructure.

Shop all products

Install Alto on your phone

Add Alto to your home screen for breaking news — no app store, no account.

  1. Step 1Open alto.gab.com in SafariMust be Safari — not Chrome or in-app browsers
  2. Step 2Tap the Share buttonSquare with an arrow, at the bottom of Safari
  3. Step 3Tap "More"If you don’t see Add to Home Screen yet
  4. Step 4Tap "Add to Home Screen"Scroll the share sheet if you need to
  5. Step 5Tap "Add"Alto appears on your home screen like any other app.
gab

Talk Big Tech Where Big Tech Can't Reach

AI, surveillance, and censorship, covered by the people the platforms removed first.

What Makes Gab Different

We're not just another social network. We're a platform built on principles that matter.

Freedom of Speech & Reach

All First Amendment protected speech is welcome. No algorithmic throttling or shadow banning.

Family-Friendly Platform

We maintain a clean environment. Explicit adult content is strictly prohibited.

Western Nations Only

Third-world IPs are blocked. No scammers, no spam farms. Built for Western civilization.

Funded By Users

Our users are our investors and customers. You're not the product being sold.

Battle Tested

A decade of standing strong. Banned from app stores, banks—and still here.

American Owned & Operated

We reject foreign censorship demands. Built by Americans, for free people.

Support Alto & Gab

Alto is funded entirely by readers like you. Your donation helps us continue delivering curated news from a right-wing Christian Nationalist perspective, powered by Gab AI.