Trump privately discusses declaring an end to the war with Iran as Pentagon boosts Middle East presence

Donald Trump is considering declaring an end to the war with Iran as the Pentagon quietly increases the US military presence in the Middle East.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the US president has privately discussed the possibility with his senior advisers. Trump is reportedly in favor of declaring the war over because he believes economic pressure on Tehran could force Iran either to abandon its nuclear program or face a serious domestic crisis.

Alongside political discussions about ending the conflict, the US administration continues to exert economic pressure on Iran. Last week, the US launched Operation “Economic Pariah,” targeting key sectors of the Iranian economy, including the oil industry, maritime transport, aviation, gold, technology and the digital economy.

However, the Pentagon’s preparations indicate that the possibility of a much longer-term scenario is also being considered. According to the WSJ, the US military is expanding its deployments in the region, signaling that the conflict could continue into next year.

The US currently has around 50,000 troops and 19 warships in the Middle East. The force includes two aircraft carriers and 13 guided-missile destroyers.

This presence is intended to give President Trump greater room to respond to developments on the ground. Consequently, while the White House considers officially declaring an end to the war, the military movements show that Washington is not ruling out the possibility of a prolonged conflict with Iran.