Officials within the Trump administration are growing increasingly worried that the president may soon launch a major attack in the Middle East, with one adviser warning that it’d be “political suicide,” Zeteo reported Monday.
President Donald Trump sparked fears of a major Middle East escalation Saturday after abruptly cutting his weekend getaway short and racing back to the White House. Trump confirmed on Sunday that “very big things” regarding his deeply unpopular war against Iran would take place in the “not-so-distant future,” among which could include destroying “the entire nation” of Iran.
Subsequent reporting revealed that Trump was close to authorizing an attack on Yemen’s Houthis amid their attacks on U.S. ally Saudi Arabia, but ultimately decided against it. And, while Trump may have backed down from escalating the conflict in the Middle East, officials in his administration fear that the president could change his mind at any moment.
"Now, in his latest fit of frustration at the Iranians and their Houthi allies in Yemen, who have renewed their ferocious attacks on Washington’s Saudi allies, President Trump seems to have put Armageddon back on the table," Zeteo’s report reads.
“We will see if [Trump is] bats--- enough to hit Iran this time, but for now, [Zeteo’s] sources in the administration are skeptical… or at least that’s what they’re telling themselves, because they really, really, really don’t want this to happen, especially not in the final weeks before the midterm elections."
One Trump adviser who spoke with Zeteo on the condition of anonymity also expressed hope that the president would hold off on escalating the conflict in the Middle East that has sent global oil prices skyrocketing. Should Trump not heed their warning, however, the adviser warned it could be the end for Republicans heading into the midterms.
“It’d be political suicide,” the adviser told Zeteo. “[Trump’s] backed off of this before. I’m hoping he follows the same instincts this time, too.”
In addition to Trump’s sudden trip back to the White House on Saturday, a number of other signals have sparked concern that the Trump administration may soon launch an attack in the Middle East, including the U.S. Embassy in Israel issuing a security alert instructing Americans in the Middle East to “exercise heightened vigilance and be aware of potential flight cancellations,” and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cutting his scheduled U.S. visit short.