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Trump says US could strike Iran 'maybe tomorrow' or reach deal

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.

By Rowan Ashby Published 25.10.26 02:44 UTC 5 min read

File photo of US President Donald Trump delivering remarks in the Oval Office in October 2025 — The White House / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain · Source

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 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. 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.

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 and the latest oil weekly brief 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.