Trump denies report that Joint Chiefs head general cautioned against war with Iran

U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Dan Caine has cautioned about the risks of strikes on Iran, recent reports in Axios and The Washington Post claim. 

The Pentagon’s top general warned about potential shortfalls in critical munitions, the risk to U.S. personnel in the region, and blowback from allies, the reports stated. 

Gen. Caine shared those concerns during briefings with U.S. President Donald Trump last week, saying that U.S. support for Ukraine, and the transfer of weapons to Israel during the Gaza War have depleted stocks of crucial munitions. 

The Post also reported that Caine warned in briefings last month about the complexity of any military campaign against the Islamic Republic. 

Axios reported that Gen. Caine has been the only top military official to brief the president on Iran in recent weeks, stating that Central Command (CENTCOM) head Adm. Brad Cooper has not participated in the briefings, nor has he spoken to President Trump since early January. 

Cooper’s predecessor, Gen. Erik Kurilla, briefed Trump several times before his retirement. 

Following the publication of the reports, President Trump took to social media, blasting the reports as “stories from Fake News Media.” 

“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “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,” the president continued. “He knows Iran well in that he was in charge of Midnight Hammer, the attack on the Iranian Nuclear Development.” 

Trump also appeared to debunk reports that he is considering a limited strike against Iran, writing, “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.” 

There has been consistent media speculation regarding possible U.S. military action against the Islamic Republic of Iran. The president downplayed this coverage as being “written incorrectly.” 

“Everything that has been written about a potential War with Iran has been written incorrectly, and purposefully so,” he concluded. “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.” 

Both Iran and the U.S. are currently scheduled to resume talks mediated by Oman in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday. President Trump has reportedly demanded that Iran present a draft proposal of an agreement as a condition for holding the talks. During the Board of Peace meeting in Washington last Thursday, Trump also gave a deadline of 10 days . 

That deadline would require an agreement before the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Director's meeting in Geneva, which runs March 2-6. Trump set a similar deadline before the IAEA’s board meeting last June, which saw Israel, launch surprise strikes on Iran, dubbed Operation Rising Lion, as soon as the deadline expire.

Recent reports indicate the U.S. does not believe a negotiated agreement with Iran is likely.

The USS Gerald Ford, America's largest aircraft carrier, was expected to arrive in the port of Haifa on Monday or Tuesday, where it will refuel. It is believed that the USS Gerald Ford could remain near Israel to aid in the defense of Israeli air space, in the event that Iran targets Israel amid the ongoing tensions. Haifa is the home port for the Israel Navy, as well as the site of several oil refineries. It was targeted multiple times during the 12-day Israel-Iran War.