President Donald Trump said he will make a decision regarding whether to strike Iran “over the next probably 10 days” as tensions in the Middle East continues to rise.
“We may have to take a step further or we may not,” Trump said during an address at an event inaugurating the Board of Peace.
Trump at his “Board of Peace” on Iran: “Now we may have to take it a step further, or we may not. You’re gonna be finding over the next probably 10 days.” pic.twitter.com/itAUoc2pPH
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 19, 2026
Trump did not elaborate further, but reports have detailed that he met with his top advisers on Wednesday to discuss the matter.
According to Axios, one official said Iran needs to present a proposal to Washington by the end of the month. “The Iranian foreign minister told Kushner and Witkoff a lot of positive things but the devil is in the details. The ball in Iran’s court, so lets see,” an official told Axios. However, another official called talks a “nothing-burger.”
In the meantime, officials are giving contrasting assessments of the scenario, with some supporting strikes and others either opposing them or seeking to prevent the administration from not seeking Congressional approval to conduct them.
Republican Sen. Ted Cruzsaid he urged Trump to seize the moment. Speaking on Fox News, Cruz said he spoke with Trump days ago and discussed Iran. “I said at this moment the regime is teetering, the ayatollah is in his last day. Do not let this opportunity pass.
Cruz also noted that, should that scenario come to pass, it could add to other developments that are taking place in the Western Hemisphere. “It is entirely possible that in the next six months we will see the regimes fall in Iran, in Venezuela, and in Cuba. And we could also see governments replace them that want to be friends with the United States of America,” Cruz said.
He went on to clarify that he knows “a thousand things could go wrong,” but if the U.S. achieves regime change in the three countries, “it will be the most consequential geopolitical shift since the fall of the Berlin Wall.” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham has also urged Trump to conduct strikes.
However, Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna and Republican counterpart Thomas Massie plan to force a vote on a war powers resolution next week to prevent strikes on the country without Congressional approval.
Massie, who has continuously challenged Trump on different issues throughout the administration, said he will “vote to put America first which means voting against more war in the Middle East.”
Khanna, on his end, cited reports quoting Trump officials saying there is a 90% chance of strikes on Iran and said the resolution must be voted on “before putting U.S. troops in harm’s way.”
Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett is among those opposing attacks. She said “why is it that we have money for what but not to feed the poor?! (Tupac was ahead of his time.) To be clear Congress hasn’t been called in, at all, yet according to reports, this out of control President is inching towards a war in Iran. We must check his power; literal lives depend on it.”
Originally published on Latin Times
