Following his recent suggestion of winding down U.S. operations, President Trump threatened new strikes on Iran while lifting sanctions and requesting massive funding, underscoring strategic uncertainty in the third-week war.
Building on Friday's social media post outlining progress toward key objectives in the U.S.-led campaign against Iran—as detailed in prior coverage—President Trump issued conflicting signals over the weekend. On Saturday evening, he warned of strikes on Iranian power plants if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened within 48 hours. This comes amid reports of additional U.S. Marines deployed to the region and Trump's request to Congress for $200 billion to fund the conflict, which began with 'Operation Midnight Hammer' in June 2025 and continued with 'Operation Epic Fury.' Trump also lifted sanctions to ease oil supplies for some countries, despite hostilities. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben described the messaging as chaotic, reflecting domestic backlash over rising gas prices. At a Friday night event awarding the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy to the Navy football team, Trump noted U.S. and Israeli strikes killing top Iranian officials, stating: 'We're having a hard time. We want to talk to them, and there's nobody to talk to... We like it that way.' Kurtzleben highlighted the absence of a clear post-war plan, with Trump shifting from regime change rhetoric to vague leadership comments.
