Trump Says He’d ‘Rather Have a Deal’ On Iran — Slams Reports Top General Is Wary of Full-Blown War

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026, en route to Washington from West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

President Donald Trump posted to social media on Monday that he would prefer a deal with Iran over a full-blown war.

Trump pushed back on various reports that Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine has warned against a military operation in Iran, suggesting it would be far more difficult to achieve U.S. national security objectives than it was in Venezuela.

“I would rather have a Deal than not but, if we don’t make a Deal, it will be a very bad day for that Country,” Trump concluded in his lengthy post, continuing to threaten Iran, but making clear he was looking to avoid conflict.

“Numerous stories from the Fake News Media have been circulating stating that General Daniel Caine, sometimes referred to as Razin, is against us going to War with Iran. The story does not attribute this vast wealth of knowledge to anyone, and is 100% incorrect. General Caine, like all of us, would like not to see War but, if a decision is made on going against Iran at a Military level, it is his opinion that it will be something easily won,” Trump began in his Truth Social post, adding:

He knows Iran well in that he was in charge of Midnight Hammer, the attack on the Iranian Nuclear Development. It is a Development no longer, but rather, was blown to smithereens by our Great B-2 Bombers. Razin Caine is a Great Fighter, and represents the Most Powerful Military anywhere in the World. He has not spoken of not doing Iran, or even the fake limited strikes that I have been reading about, he only knows one thing, how to WIN and, if he is told to do so, he will be leading the pack. Everything that has been written about a potential War with Iran has been written incorrectly, and purposefully so. I am the one that makes the decision, I would rather have a Deal than not but, if we don’t make a Deal, it will be a very bad day for that Country and, very sadly, its people, because they are great and wonderful, and something like this should never have happened to them.

The Wall Street Journal, Axios, and the New York Times all reported on Sunday and Monday that General Cain was voicing his apprehension about a full-scale attack on Iran. The Journal’s Alex Ward reported on Monday, “The Pentagon is raising concerns to President Trump about an extended military campaign against Iran, advising that war plans being considered carry risks including U.S. and allied casualties, depleted air defenses and an overtaxed force.”

Ward added that “such discussions are always part of the contingency-planning process before military operations, some officials said, noting that military leaders—especially the Joint Chiefs chair—provide prudent estimates of possible casualties and other potential costs of military operations.” Trump has long spoken out against what he called “stupid wars” in the Middle East and slammed his predecessors for putting U.S. troops in danger in the region.

Notably, leading MAGA isolationist Tucker Carlson was at the White House on Monday, ahead of Trump’s message on Truth Social.

This is a developing story and has been updated.

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