Trump frustrated with advisers over Iran, wants to speak to leaders in Tehran: report

President Trump is frustrated with some of his top advisers over the threat posed by Iran, saying hardline aides could rush the U.S. into a military struggle with the Islamic Republic and break his campaign pledge to avoid costly foreign wars, according to The Washington Post.

Several U.S. officials told the Post that Trump prefers a diplomatic off ramp to deescalate tensions between Washington and Tehran, which have escalated amid what military and intelligence officials have deemed to be credible threats against U.S. interests in the Gulf region.

Trump is particularly frustrated with National Security Adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, according to the Post, both of whom have taken hardline stances against Iran.

“They are getting way out ahead of themselves, and Trump is annoyed,” a senior administration official told the newspaper. “There was a scramble for Bolton and Pompeo and others to get on the same page.”

The official said Bolton, who has advocated for regime change in Tehran in the past, is “just in a different place” from Trump, who too has been a vocal Iran critic. Trump “wants to talk to the Iranians; he wants a deal” and is open to negotiation with the Iranian government, the official added.

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Last Edited by 4by2 on 05/16/2019 01:56 PM