US President Donald Trump considered that linking the name of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to a warning of a large-scale military operation against Iran is “100 percent wrong,” stressing the United States’ ability to defeat Tehran “easily,” at a time when reports warn of a long-term conflict despite the continuation of military reinforcements and negotiations scheduled in Geneva.
Published on: 02/24/2026 - 04:39 Last updated: 02/24/2026 - 04:39
US President Donald Trump on Monday denied media reports about the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff warning of the dangers of carrying out a major military operation against Iran, stressing that the United States is capable of defeating Tehran “easily” in any potential confrontation.
According to American media, General Dan Cain warned within decision-making circles of a number of risks associated with directing strikes against Iran, including the long duration of the clash and the possibility of expanding the conflict. However, Trump stressed in a post on his platform, Truth Social, that it was “100 percent wrong” to say that Cain “opposes us going to war against Iran.”
Trump explained, "General Kane, like all of us, does not want war, but if a decision is made to take action against Iran at the military level, in his opinion, that is something that can be easily won." He considered that the Chief of Staff "only knows one thing: victory, and if he receives an order to do so, he will lead the mission," pointing out that Cain did not advise against directing a strike against Iran or resorting to limited "false" strikes as stated in some reports.
Read also: America - Iran: Will Tehran respond to Washington’s conditions?
On the other hand, the Washington Post reported that Kaine expressed, in meetings at the White House and the Pentagon, his concern that American forces were exposed to more risks in light of the lack of ammunition and the absence of allied support.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Chief of Staff and other senior Pentagon officials warned of deaths and injuries among American and allied forces, in addition to the risk of depleting air defenses if strikes were carried out against Iran.
Axios also reported that Kaine warned of the dangers of the United States sliding into a "long-term conflict," noting at the same time that the US special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, are urging Trump not to launch strikes now, and to make room for the diplomatic path. But the US President accused the media of writing “intentionally wrong” reports, stressing, “I am the one who makes the decision. I prefer to reach an agreement, but if we do not conclude an agreement, that will be a very bad day for that country and a very miserable day for its people.”
France 24/AFP
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