U.S. President Donald Trump and Governor of Montana Greg Gianforte watch a violin performance by Rusanda Panfili during a Governors Dinner at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 21, 2026. REUTERS/Aaron Schwartz REFILE - QUALITY REPEAT AND ADDED IDS
Trump administration insiders are working behind the scenes to create an "off-ramp" for the president after he made his latest threat to strike a foreign country, a new report revealed on Sunday.
President Donald Trump suggested on Friday that he is considering a limited strike against Iran if the country does not agree to a deal to curb its nuclear program. Iranian officials said they are completing a "draft plan" and will submit it to Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, within the next few days, the BBC reported.
The New York Times reported on Sunday that Trump officials are skeptical about whether striking Iran again will have the desired effect, citing conversations with "multiple American officials" with knowledge of the idea.
"There are doubts even inside the administration about whether that goal can be accomplished with airstrikes alone," the report reads in part. "And behind the scenes, a new proposal is being considered by both sides that could create an off-ramp to military conflict: a very limited nuclear enrichment program that Iran could carry out solely for purposes of medical research and treatments."
The report was published at a time when Trump had not yet made a final call about whether the U.S. would strike Iran again. Last year, the Trump administration bombed three of Iran's nuclear facilities and claimed they were "totally obliterated" in the process.
Trump officials met last Wednesday in the Situation Room to discuss potential strike options, according to the NYT. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles attended the meeting, according to the report.