Trump weighs Iran deal amidst warnings of shattered legacies and US readiness for combat

In May 2018, then-President Donald Trump decided to withdraw the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal. This move followed extensive consideration and amidst warnings from European allies about potential diplomatic repercussions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly supported the withdrawal, presenting intelligence that he claimed exposed Iran's past nuclear weapons program, a presentation that many believed influenced Trump's final determination. Trump himself publicly criticized the deal as "horrible" and "defective at its core."

However, reports circulating in late May 2026, suggesting that a US Defense Secretary named Pete Hegseth warned of readiness to resume combat in the Gulf as President Trump considers a final decision on the Iran nuclear deal, do not align with verifiable public information. Pete Hegseth is not recorded as a US Defense Secretary, and there are no credible reports of a current "maritime war" or "Operation Epic Fury" between the US and Iran in 2026, with a sitting President Trump contemplating this deal.