The Donald Trump administration is reportedly considering resuming airstrikes on Iran. President Trump also held a meeting with senior national security officials. In addition, signs point to a possible resumption of airstrikes, such as canceling attendance at his eldest son's wedding held abroad.
On the 22nd (local time), according to U.S. political outlet Axios and CBS News, President Trump is seriously considering resuming military attacks on Iran if Iran does not soon accept the "final offer" the United States sent on the 20th.
Axios reported that in the morning President Trump held a senior national security team meeting attended by Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and was briefed on the status of negotiations with Iran and scenarios in the event of a breakdown. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is on a trip to Europe, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Dan Caine skipped the meeting to attend a Naval Academy commencement.
According to the report, President Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with negotiations with Iran in recent days. When he spoke with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the 19th, Trump leaned toward a diplomatic solution, but by the night of the 21st he was said to have tilted toward ordering airstrikes.
One close aide said President Trump also mentioned the possibility of a final large-scale military operation that could declare victory and end the war. The United States is said to have warned, when delivering the final offer to Iran on the 20th, that it could resume military attacks if the offer was not accepted.
However, no definitive signal has been detected that President Trump has actually decided to resume the war. On the 22nd, Trump said, "Iran desperately wants a deal," and noted he would watch the situation. May 25 is Memorial Day in the United States, and although there will be a three-day holiday from the 23rd to the 25th, many U.S. government officials are said to have canceled personal schedules.
Trump had initially planned to spend the holiday at a New Jersey golf course after a speech in New York on the evening of the 22nd, but decided to return to the White House. On the social media platform Truth Social, he said he would not be able to attend the wedding of his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and Bettina Anderson in the Bahamas this weekend due to "matters related to the government, and my love for the United States of America." Trump also wrote, "I feel it is important to remain at the White House in Washington, D.C., during this critical time."
In preparation for the possibility of military conflict, officials in the defense and intelligence fields also canceled their holiday plans. The U.S. government has reportedly begun updating recall rosters for overseas bases in case of Iranian retaliation, as some forces stationed in the Middle East rotate.
The United States and Iran entered a temporary truce on Apr. 8. The two sides have refrained from mutual attacks to buy time for indirect talks toward an agreement. Anna Kelly, a White House communications staffer, told CBS News that President Trump's position is that Iran's possession of nuclear weapons or maintenance of enriched uranium stockpiles can never be tolerated. She said, "The president always keeps all options on the table, and it is the Pentagon's mission to be prepared to carry out any decision the commander in chief may make."
Last-minute mediation efforts are also continuing. Pakistan Army Chief of Staff Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on the 22nd, and a Qatari delegation joined to support mediation. Munir is scheduled to meet on the 23rd with Ahmad Vahidi, a key figure in Iran's decision-making process and commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
However, the talks are facing difficulties. A U.S. official briefed on the diplomatic efforts described the negotiations as "painful," saying drafts are being exchanged daily without meaningful progress.
Iran is not backing down either. The Iranian Foreign Ministry said on the 22nd that talks are ongoing but an agreement is not imminent. Tasnim, a semi-official outlet linked to the IRGC, quoted a person close to the negotiating team as saying, "Discussions on the points of contention are still underway, and there is no final result yet."
Axios, citing sources involved in the negotiations with Iran, said there is still a chance for a breakthrough over the next 24 hours, but assessed that absent an unexpected advance, President Trump is leaning toward proceeding with a military operation.