The key facts
- Some of Trump's advisers name the next eight weeks as the deadline for deciding on new strikes against Iran
- After Congress changes hands in January, the White House, officials fear, could face investigations and attempts to halt the military campaign
- The Pentagon under Pete Hegseth advocates expanding the operation; Vance, Rubio, Witkoff and Kushner earlier persuaded Trump to suspend the strikes and start talks
The eight-week window before Congress changes hands
Some advisers to US President Donald Trump believe that Washington needs to decide on a new military operation against Iran within the next eight weeks. This was reported by NBC News, citing sources in the administration. The calculation is tied to the composition of Congress: after it changes hands in January, officials fear, the White House will face investigations and attempts by lawmakers to halt the military campaign, since both chambers will come under Democratic control. Some of the channel's interlocutors suggest resuming large-scale strikes within just a few weeks.
A split in the administration
NBC names Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth as a proponent of a forceful solution: according to sources, the defense secretary advocates expanding the operation and criticizes administration officials who earlier persuaded Trump to suspend the strikes and open talks with Tehran. These include Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Hegseth, the channel's interlocutors claim, links the current difficulties to Washington's earlier decision to pursue a diplomatic settlement. At the same time, there is no unified position in the president's circle: some advisers fear that a return to large-scale bombing would derail the talks and deprive the parties of the chance to reach an agreement.
A meeting after the elections
The context for these reports is the November 5 meeting, when Trump held an Iran meeting with national security advisers for the first time since the midterm elections — as part of a regular intelligence briefing. According to Axios, participants discussed Washington's further course of action toward Tehran, including the possibility of resuming large-scale strikes. After the talks, the president told journalists he intended to decide on the next step, but did not specify which option he would choose: the administration had considered continuing economic pressure, concluding an agreement, and expanding the military operation.
