US President Donald Trump has said he would rather not destroy what remains of Iran but may have to, a more hesitant line than his earlier threats against Tehran, days after his Republican Party's defeat in the US midterm elections.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said a decision on whether to escalate the war was close. "I would rather not destroy the rest of the country if possible, but maybe I'll have to," he said. "You'll know soon enough."
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Trump on Iran: I would rather not destroy the rest of the country if possible, but maybe I'll have to. You will know soon enough. https://t.co/exoN4iHFzA
— Clash Report (@clashreport) November 5, 2026
He framed the choice as one of finality. "We'll make a decision, do we want to go further and just certify it by certifying it, meaning where it'll never happen again?"
Trump said. "I think it'll take them 25 years to rebuild the country."
The tone is softer than earlier, when Trump warned US forces had yet to begin "destroying what's left" in Iran, with more bridges and energy infrastructure in his sights.
At another point in the conflict, he said a deal was possible only unless the US blew up the rest of the country, including its leaders.
The latest remarks follow a pledge made on October 8, when Trump said talks with Iran were productive and ruled out strikes before the midterms. "We will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections to be held in the United States on November 3rd," he said.
Indirect negotiations between the two sides were under way at the time, US media reported.
ALSO READ | Trump Acknowledges Iran War Hurt Republicans In Midterms, But Says He Doesn't Regret It
That commitment has now lapsed with the vote. Reuters reported that sources say Trump is still planning to bomb Iran. Earllier he reportedly had expressed reluctance to wipe out Iran's remaining military because of how long the country would take to rebuild.
The war has weighed on Trump politically at home. Fuel prices remained high and his approval rating had fallen as the elections approached.
Whether he opts for further strikes or a negotiated settlement will determine the course of a conflict that has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and unsettled energy markets.
ALSO READ | 'Reason We Lost Is The War': JD Vance Lists Four Factors Behind Republican Rout In Midterm Polls
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