Since the end of the midterm elections, US President Donald Trump's advisors have been racing to influence his decision on whether to end the war on Iran or ignite it again, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
This comes amid a clear division within his administration between one camp pushing for diplomacy and stopping the war, and another demanding a return to broad military operations.
The newspaper indicated that Trump is facing a fateful decision that may determine the course of the remainder of his presidency, but this time he does not have a unified team nor a favorable political climate, after voters clearly rejected the war at the ballot boxes.
Vance leads the camp calling for an end to the war
The Wall Street Journal quoted American officials as saying that Vice President J.D. Vance is at the forefront of the camp calling for an end to the war.
Vance, on social media, questioned the feasibility of the war, and had previously informed Trump that he intended to hold it responsible for the Republican defeat in the elections, according to American officials.
Special Envoy Steve Witkoff stands with Vance; He is seeking Trump's continued support for diplomatic efforts aimed at an agreement to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Advisers outside the administration also contacted Trump to inform him that it was time to end the war.
Hegseth and Cooper are at the helm of the batting restart camp
On the other hand, another camp, which includes Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Commander of US Central Command Admiral Brad Cooper, supports a return to major military operations, according to what officials familiar with recent briefings on the military options available to the president told the Wall Street Journal.
A number of hard-line foreign advisors have also made contact with Trump since Election Day, urging him to continue the war, considering that his political legacy depends on forcing Iran to abandon its nuclear program, allowing him to say that the political sacrifices he incurred were justified.
What about Rubio, Picent, and Netanyahu?
As for Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Besent, they support tightening sanctions and continuing the blockade imposed on Iranian trade.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is still pushing for new strikes on Iran, while the Gulf states seem more skeptical about this option.
Qatar is working at the last minute
Officials said that Qatar worked in the last moments to avoid a new American operation, and to bring the positions between the two sides closer to allow the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the American blockade. Informed sources said that the agreement being discussed reduces the period for preliminary talks from 60 days, which is the period stipulated in the Islamabad memorandum of understanding last June, to only two days, for an almost immediate transition to nuclear negotiations.
One person familiar with the discussions said that this proposal might give Trump a way out that would allow him to end the war while saving face, but it is not clear whether Iran will agree to it.
Trump is swinging...
According to what officials told the Wall Street Journal, these differences and conflicting advice made the decision more difficult for Trump, who has been oscillating since the election results were released on Tuesday, between underestimating the electoral message and feeling its burden.
Trump has not yet decided his position, and he often expresses his desire for diplomacy and to launch new attacks at the same time.
Susan Maloney, an expert on Iranian affairs and vice president of the Foreign Policy Program at the Brookings Institution, said that the Democrats’ success in the midterm elections complicates the president’s dilemma, adding that the options available to him may exacerbate the strategic and economic cost that the Americans have already incurred.
Arab movements to push Trump towards an agreement with Iran
Sources familiar with these discussions reported that Arab foreign ministers are seeking to arrange a phone call with Trump or hold a high-level meeting in Washington, with the aim of presenting justifications for reaching this agreement.
The newspaper quoted a White House official as saying that Trump is not in a rush to make a decision, in light of the faltering Iranian economy and the continued flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.
The Pentagon is preparing to resume military operations
In turn, a Pentagon official told the newspaper that the ministry’s mission is to develop and implement the president’s military options.
The Wall Street Journal quoted American officials as saying that if Trump decides to follow the advice of those urging him to “accomplish the mission,” the Pentagon is fully prepared to carry out his orders immediately. However, officials indicate that the optimal timing to resume operations would be later this month, coinciding with the arrival of additional equipment in the Middle East.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group, equipped with dozens of combat aircraft, is heading towards the region from the Pacific Ocean. According to a US official, the group is scheduled to stop in Singapore for a few days starting Friday, and is not expected to arrive in the Middle East for at least two weeks.
A man was arrested after he made a hand gesture that resembled the shape of a gun at a member of the National Guard near the White House in Washington, according to what was reported by the Independent newspaper.
According to a legal document obtained by The Hill newspaper, William Clark, 28 years old, on Monday evening made a hand gesture that mimicked the shape of a gun at a member of the National Guard, while the latter was driving a vehicle on a street adjacent to the “Ellipse” area.
Clark's arrest comes as part of a series of prominent incidents in the US capital, including an incident involving a former Olympic rowing athlete, and another in which a man threw a sandwich at federal agents.
Documents reviewed by ABC News 4 reported that Clark was holding a phone in one hand, while using his other hand to perform a movement that simulated shooting.
Members of the National Guard detained him until the police arrived, who arrested him on charges of making threats in an intimidating manner and assaulting a police officer.
Clark was released on his own recognizance after pleading not guilty to the charges against him.
A judicial document submitted on Tuesday, and seen by The Hill newspaper, showed that the accused faces a misdemeanor charge of “assault or threat of assault in an intimidating manner,” without the document including a separate charge of assaulting a police officer.
Under Washington, D.C. law, a conviction on this charge may be punishable by up to 180 days in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both.
A series of arrests in Washington
Clark's incident is the latest in a series of arrests that received widespread attention in the American capital, following the deployment of hundreds of National Guard members in the city, after President Donald Trump declared a "public safety emergency."
In September, a task force affiliated with the US Department of Defense (the Pentagon) announced that the number of National Guard members deployed in Washington had fallen to less than 3,000 soldiers, after reaching its peak during the summer at 5,148 soldiers.
Among the highly publicized arrests was that of David Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist, who was arrested by US Park Police in June on charges of damaging the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
The aquarium was undergoing renovation work at the time, which included painting it “American flag blue,” but algae soon appeared in it and the paint layer began to peel off.
Trump claimed that vandals caused damage to the aquarium, while Hearn denied responsibility for damaging the historic site, before a criminal charge related to vandalizing property was finally dropped.
“Sandwich Man”
The arrests also included protester Sean Dunn, who was charged with assault, a misdemeanor, after video footage spread online showing him throwing a sandwich at a US Customs and Border Protection officer.
This incident turned Dan into an online symbol of opposition to the deployment of the National Guard in the capital, until he was eventually nicknamed “Sandwich Man.”
American rapper Macklemore, a vocal critic of the Israeli war on Gaza, revealed on Friday that major concert halls in the United States - including Madison Square Garden in New York - had refused to book his “Free Palestine” tour, which had just concluded three concerts in Europe, according to Reuters.
Macklemore launched this initiative after he was excluded from participating as an opening artist on musician Ed Sheeran's concert tour in August. Macklemore said at the time that the owners of sports halls and arenas objected to him saying the phrase “Free Palestine” on stage.
Macklemore said on social media that since then, nine American halls have refused to allow him to book appointments available until the end of the year. These halls included Madison Square, the Garden, and Kia Forum in Los Angeles.
He stated in a post: “Shows would not have been allowed to be held in these halls.” He added: “In more than 20 years of artistic tours, I have never encountered anything like this before.”
A spokesperson for MSG Entertainment, which operates Madison Square Garden and other halls, explained that its facilities are among “the busiest halls in the world, and are available to a very limited extent,” adding that Macklemore “is not a major hall-level artist.”
Kia Forum representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment.
Macklemore held concerts on the “Free Palestine” tour in Dublin, Paris, and London, to raise funds for organizations that support the Palestinian people. The singer said he will work with other artists and organizers to present more shows in support of this cause.
“We live in a country that prides itself on freedom of expression,” he wrote. However, we have reached a point where a handful of billionaires can decide which issues are acceptable, which voices are welcome, and which human lives are worth defending.”
Palestinian authorities say that more than 74,000 people were killed in the Israeli attack on Gaza, which began after fighters led by the Hamas movement killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
