Trump says new strikes on Iran are highly unlikely

US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House press briefing room that further US strikes on Iran were highly unlikely, BBC News and the Washington Examiner both reported. Speaking on Monday, Trump said Iran is militarily effectively over and that the US is keeping the status quo, according to BBC News and the Washington Post. [1][2][7][9]

Trump added that the US remains locked and loaded should circumstances change, BBC News and CBS News both reported. According to BBC News, Trump said the US is maintaining the status quo at the behest of Iran's neighbours and noted positive momentum behind negotiations to end the Middle East conflict. Iranian officials have repeatedly expressed doubts about his previous statements on resolving the conflict, BBC News reported. [1][3]

Trump suggested the war could end fairly soon following talks with Qatar's prime minister, the Guardian reported. The Washington Examiner reported that Trump cited the economic crippling of Iran from previous military actions as his reason to decline resuming full-scale attacks. Speaking to 60 Minutes, Trump said the war was a good decision in the long term despite short-term impacts, CBS News reported. [3][5][7]

The United States and Israel launched coordinated air strikes across Iran on 28 February 2026, assassinating Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Trump previously drew bipartisan criticism in October 2026 after suggesting Iran could target Los Angeles and San Diego. [14][15][17]

Oil prices dropped to a 10-week low following the president's statements downplaying further escalation, the Financial Times, CNBC, and the Wall Street Journal all reported. CBS News reported that the national average price for a gallon of gas stood at $4.0093 on Monday and could fall below $4 on Tuesday. [3][10][11][12]