President Donald Trump is lashing out at major news outlets over reports that his top military adviser raised red flags about a potential U.S. strike on Iran — calling the coverage “100% incorrect” and “purposefully” wrong.
In a Truth Social post Monday, Trump took aim at what he labeled the “Fake News Media” for reporting that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine had warned about serious risks tied to military action.
“Numerous stories from the Fake News Media have been circulating stating that General Daniel Caine, sometimes referred to as Razin, is against us going to War with Iran,” Trump wrote. “The story does not attribute this vast wealth of knowledge to anyone, and is 100% incorrect. General Caine, like all of us, would like not to see War but, if a decision is made on going against Iran at a Military level, it is his opinion that it will be something easily won.”
He doubled down moments later: “Everything that has been written about a potential War with Iran has been written incorrectly, and purposefully so.”
The president’s broadside followed reporting from Axios, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal, all of which detailed concerns Caine had reportedly outlined in private discussions about the scale and complexity of striking Iran.
Axios cited two sources who said Caine had warned about the possibility of the U.S. being drawn into a prolonged conflict. The Washington Post reported that Caine had “raised concerns about the scale of any Iran campaign, its inherent complexity and the possibility of U.S. casualties.” None of the outlets stated that Caine opposed military action outright — a characterization Trump attributed to them.
A Joint Staff spokesperson, Joe Holstead, told Axios: “In his role as military adviser to the President, Secretary of War, and National Security Council, the Chairman provides a range of military options, as well as secondary considerations and associated impacts and risks, to the civilian leaders who make America’s security decisions. The Chairman provides these options confidentially.”
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly echoed that defense in comments to The Wall Street Journal, saying, “General Caine is a highly respected professional whose job requires providing unbiased information to the Commander in Chief, which he does perfectly. President Trump listens to feedback from all members of his national security team, and he is always the final decision maker.”
According to The Journal, Trump has not yet decided whether to authorize military action against Iran. Axios, however, reported that he appears to be leaning toward a strike as U.S. military assets continue building up near the region.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts are still in motion. Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to meet Iranian representatives later this week, with reports indicating they have encouraged Trump to exhaust diplomatic options before escalating further.
