‘Do I make a deal or finish them off’: What Trump said on resuming Iran strikes

US President Donald Trump on Sunday (Oct 25) suggested that he was weighing whether to make a deal with Iran or launch a military action against the Islamic Republic. This comes amid heightened uncertainty about Trump’s decisions over resuming strikes on Iran ahead of the upcoming US midterm elections in 2026. Meanwhile, talks have remained stalled between Washington and Tehran.

Will Trump strike Iran on Sunday?

While departing for a campaign rally in Michigan, Trump was asked whether he was planning a military action against Iran as early as Sunday.

“Would I tell you that?” Trump told reporters outside the White House. He added, “But the answer is no. There will not be a strike.”

‘The only question’

The latest remarks come after Trump suggested that he was facing a binary choice between diplomacy and escalating military operations.

In an interview aired on Fox News on Sunday, Trump said, “Do I make a deal with them, or do I finish them off? That’s the only question.”

During the interview, Trump claimed that Washington had control over the Strait of Hormuz. The strategic maritime route has been disrupted since the war began in February after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, killing former supreme leader Ali Khamenei and other top officials. The disruption has skyrocketed the price of oil across the world.

“We get everything, they get nothing,” Trump said.

Trump’s comments came as tensions with Iran escalated, with Washington keeping both military action and a negotiated settlement on the table. Speaking on Saturday, he said the US could strike Iran but also held out the prospect of reaching a “nice, big, beautiful agreement” with Tehran.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the US of hampering efforts to bring the war to an end. He said, however, that Iran was still willing to reach an agreement.