President Donald Trump received a high-level military briefing on Thursday as his administration weighs launching another round of major attacks against Iran, according to an exclusive report from The Wall Street Journal. The meeting included Adm. Brad Cooper, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East, who made a rare in-person visit to the White House to discuss potential military operations. Cooper was joined by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.
The Journal, citing U.S. officials and others familiar with the meeting, reported that the discussions also covered other topics, though it did not specify them. The unusual gathering came as the United States weighs « resuming major combat operations » against Iran. It followed a separate White House meeting a day earlier, when military leaders met with Vice President JD Vance. The sequence of two consecutive high-level sessions signals that military planning is moving forward on a fast track.
The timing also highlights a divide in the administration's approach. Vance has reportedly reached out to one of Iran's most powerful hard-liners in an effort to revive peace negotiations, suggesting that diplomatic channels remain open even as new strikes are being considered. The administration is therefore pursuing two tracks at once: preparing options for force while attempting to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table.
Trump himself has openly raised the prospect of renewed force. At a rally last week, he said, « We may do another little Epic Fury, » a reference to the earlier U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign against Iran. The phrasing drew attention because it points directly back to a military operation that already reshaped the security picture in the region, and it signals that the president views a return to strikes as a live option rather than a remote one.
The prospect has alarmed members of Congress as well. Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, said he had been briefed on some of the classified military planning and described the plans as « insane. » He warned that they would « lead to devastating escalation and the likely destruction of our commitment to the rule of law. » His remarks put the debate over renewed strikes squarely in the political arena, where lawmakers will weigh both the military case and the consequences of another round of fighting.
The report leaves open whether the administration will authorize new attacks. What it makes clear is that the decision is now being shaped by top military officials, cabinet-level advisers, and a president who has publicly signaled he is considering further action, all while a diplomatic channel remains active. Whether the planning moves toward strikes or toward a negotiated outcome will be a central question for Washington in the days ahead.