United States President Donald Trump has hit back at media reports suggesting that General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned him about potential dangers of attacking Iran, including becoming entangled in a prolonged conflict and possible US casualties. Trump responded in a social media post on Monday, calling those reports "100 percent incorrect" and accusing the "fake news media" of misrepresenting the situation.
The Washington Post earlier reported that Caine had told Trump during a meeting last week that a lack of critical munitions and limited support from regional allies could complicate US efforts to counter an Iranian response in the event of a strike.
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It was noted that US munitions stockpiles, including systems used for missile defence, have been stretched thin by support for allies such as Israel and Ukraine. “Caine also has raised concerns about the scale of any Iran campaign, its inherent complexity and the possibility of US casualties,” the newspaper reported, citing sources familiar with internal discussions.
In response, Caine’s office said the chairman’s role is to provide “a range of military options, as well as secondary considerations and associated impacts and risks, to the civilian leaders who make America’s security decisions.”
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Military tensions rise amid conflicting reports on Iran
Another outlet, Axios, also reported that Caine has been the sole military figure briefing Trump on Iran for several weeks, and that the US Central Command chief had not been included in recent discussions. The report described Caine as more cautious about Iran than he was during previous operations, with some sources calling him a “reluctant warrior” on this issue.
Trump dismissed all suggestions that Caine opposed military action. “He has not spoken of not doing Iran, or even the fake limited strikes that I have been reading about,” Trump said, adding that the general “only knows one thing: how to WIN.” Trump also said he would prefer a diplomatic deal with Iran but warned of severe consequences if talks fail.
