> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://bullquill.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Trump says US could strike Iran 'maybe tomorrow' or reach deal - URL: https://bullquill.com/trump-says-us-could-strike-iran-tomorrow/ - Published: 2026-10-25T02:44:40.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-25T03:26:31.000Z - Description: Trump announced no decision after voting in Florida. The WSJ and The Hill reported US military preparations, the State Department is cutting staff at embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE, and Iran's president urged a new attempt at the interim deal. - Author: Rowan Ashby - Tags: World, Breaking, Trending, Donald Trump, Iran, Strait of Hormuz, Masoud Pezeshkian, US Midterm Elections 2026, #lang-en, #tr-trump-says-us-could-strike-iran-tomorrow President Donald Trump said on Saturday, October 24, that the US could strike Iran "maybe tomorrow," but that a "nice big beautiful agreement" with Tehran was also possible. He announced no decision; no new US strike was confirmed as of 02:30 UTC on October 25. ## Key takeaways - Speaking to reporters in Florida after casting his midterm ballot, Trump kept both military action and a deal on the table, according to Anadolu Agency, Middle East Eye and Iran International. - The Wall Street Journal and The Hill reported US military preparations for possible renewed strikes, including on the USS George Washington carrier strike group; no strike order has been confirmed. - The State Department is reducing staff at US embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE, which US officials told AP is not tied to possible strikes. - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian blamed Washington for the collapse of the interim deal but urged a new attempt, while IRGC-linked Tasnim denied Iran had made any new offer. ## What happened: Trump on a possible Iran strike Asked by reporters how close he was to ordering an attack on Iran, Trump replied: "We're thinking about doing it, and maybe tomorrow," according to Anadolu Agency and Middle East Eye. He then asked: "Do you really think I'm going to tell you if I'm going to do it?" In the same exchange, he said there was "also a possibility we'll have a nice big beautiful agreement," according to Iran International. He said Iran wants a deal but questioned whether Tehran would "hold the deal," and said his aim is to stop Iran from ever building a nuclear weapon. "I've got to make it permanent," he said. Anadolu quoted him as adding: "Either way, we win." The remarks were made after Trump voted early in the midterm elections in Florida; Al Jazeera's photo caption places him in West Palm Beach. Reports of the comments were published from about 21:00 UTC on October 24\. Middle East Eye also reported that at a rally on Friday, October 23, Trump said the US "may do another little epic fury," a reference to Operation Epic Fury, the codename for this year's US-Israeli war on Iran. Earlier this week, Trump said the US was ["not negotiating" with Iran](https://bullquill.com/trump-says-us-not-negotiating-with-iran/) and that something would happen "fairly soon." ## US military and diplomatic moves | Date (2026) | Development | Reported by | | ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------- | | Oct 21 (Wed) | Non-emergency US staff and families ordered to leave Saudi Arabia, citing Houthi threats | AP | | Oct 23 (Fri) | DNI memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio warns Iranian plots against US officials have reached "advanced stages" | Axios, AP | | Oct 23–24 | Staff cuts at US embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE; all four stay open | CNN, AP | | Oct 24 (Sat) | Sailors loading munitions and readying aircraft, including on the USS George Washington strike group | Wall Street Journal (via Iran International) | | Oct 24 (Sat) | CENTCOM follow-up strike options ready pending White House approval, presented to War Secretary Pete Hegseth | The Hill (via Iran International) | | Oct 24 (Sat) | Trump: strike "maybe tomorrow" or a "big beautiful agreement" | Anadolu, Middle East Eye, Iran International | A Pentagon official told The Hill that the department's job is to develop and present military options to the president. The embassy cuts follow the earlier order for [US embassy staff to leave Saudi Arabia](https://bullquill.com/us-orders-embassy-staff-leave-saudi-arabia/). The State Department cited Houthi threats in its announcement, and three US officials told AP that threats from Iran and the Houthis are related to the staffing changes. ## Iran's response On Iranian state television on October 24, Pezeshkian blamed the United States for the failure of the interim deal but said both sides should try again, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera reported that he called US officials "cowards" who "messed everything up." Iran's ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, told a seminar in Islamabad on Saturday that Tehran had told Pakistani mediators it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz if Washington lifted its blockade of Iranian ports, according to AP as reported by Iran International. He blamed Trump for rejecting the idea. The Tasnim news agency, which is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, called a separate Al Arabiya report of a new Iranian offer "lies and fantasy" and said Tehran had made no new proposal. ## What we know and what we don't know yet - **Known:** Trump publicly raised the possibility of a strike as soon as October 25 and, in the same remarks, the possibility of a deal. - **Known:** Several outlets report US military preparations and diplomatic drawdowns in the region. - **Not known:** Whether any strike has been authorised. No official strike order has been published, and the White House does not comment on military plans. - **Not known:** Whether talks through Pakistani mediators will resume. Iranian officials and state-linked media have given conflicting signals. ## Background The US-Israeli war on Iran began in February 2026\. A ceasefire is in place and a Pakistan-brokered interim deal was reached in June, but efforts to finalise a lasting agreement have stalled, according to Anadolu and Iran International. The US naval blockade of Iranian ports remains, and Iran links reopening the Strait of Hormuz to lifting it. For more on this story, see our [Iran coverage](https://bullquill.com/tag/iran/). ## What it means Trump's comments add short-term uncertainty heading into the November 3 midterm elections. Military preparations, embassy drawdowns and public talk of a deal are all happening at once, so neither outcome can be ruled out. Energy markets are watching the Strait of Hormuz closely; our explainer on [how oil price shocks feed into inflation and interest rates](https://bullquill.com/how-oil-price-shocks-hit-inflation-and-rates/) and the latest [oil weekly brief](https://bullquill.com/oil-weekly-brief-2026-10-23/) explain why. Until the White House or the Pentagon makes an official announcement, Trump's remarks should be read as a statement of options, not a confirmed plan. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is the US going to strike Iran? That has not been confirmed. On October 24, 2026, Trump said the US was thinking about a strike, "maybe tomorrow," but also said a deal was possible. No strike order has been published, and the White House does not comment on military plans. ### What did Trump say about Iran on October 24? Speaking to reporters after voting in Florida, Trump said, "We're thinking about doing it, and maybe tomorrow," and added there was "also a possibility we'll have a nice big beautiful agreement," according to Anadolu Agency and Iran International. ### Why is the US reducing embassy staff in the Middle East? The State Department is cutting staff at embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE, citing threats from Yemen's Houthis. Three US officials told AP that threats from Iran are also related, but officials denied the moves are tied to possible strikes on Iran. ### How has Iran responded? On October 24, President Masoud Pezeshkian blamed the US for the failed interim deal but urged a new attempt, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera. The IRGC-linked Tasnim agency denied that Iran had made any new proposal. ## Sources - [Anadolu Agency via ANews: Trump says US could strike Iran 'tomorrow' or reach 'big, beautiful' deal](https://www.anews.com.tr/world/2026/10/24/trump-says-us-could-strike-iran-tomorrow-or-reach-big-beautiful-deal?ref=bullquill.com) - [Middle East Eye: Trump says 'could strike Iran tomorrow, or strike a beautiful deal'](https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/trump-says-could-strike-iran-tomorrow-or-strike-beautiful-deal?ref=bullquill.com) - [Iran International: Iran sends conflicting signals on US deal as Trump raises prospect of strikes](https://www.iranintl.com/en/202610252197?ref=bullquill.com) - [Al Jazeera: Iran war live, October 25](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/10/25/iran-war-live-trump-hints-at-possible-sunday-iran-attack-or-deal-reached?ref=bullquill.com) - [Al Jazeera: Iran blames US for deal failure, urges new try](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/24/iran-blames-us-for-deal-failure-urges-new-try-amid-fear-of-new-attacks?ref=bullquill.com) - [Reuters via US News: Iran's Pezeshkian blames US for interim deal failure, urges new try](https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-10-24/irans-pezeshkian-blames-us-for-interim-deal-failure-urges-new-try?ref=bullquill.com) - [AP via PBS NewsHour: US is reducing staffing at 4 Middle East embassies over increased threats from Iran](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/u-s-is-reducing-staffing-at-4-middle-east-embassies-over-increased-threats-from-iran?ref=bullquill.com) - [Axios: US intel memo warns of "advanced" Iranian plots to kill officials abroad](https://www.axios.com/2026/10/24/iran-war-us-embassies-evacuations-threat?ref=bullquill.com) - [L'Orient Today: Pentagon asks CENTCOM to prepare for renewed strikes on Iran, according to Axios](https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1550099/pentagon-asks-centcom-to-prepare-for-renewed-strikes-on-iran-according-to-axios?ref=bullquill.com) - [The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) on X](https://x.com/spectatorindex/status/2114092077500043547?ref=bullquill.com)