Trump weighs renewed military pressure on Iran, US media says
US President Donald Trump is increasingly considering renewed military action against Iran as part of efforts to secure concessions over Tehran’s nuclear programme, according to reports from Axios and other US media outlets.
Trump is expected to meet his national security team on Tuesday to discuss “maximum pressure” options against Iran, amid growing frustration within the administration over stalled negotiations and the continuing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the reports, US officials believe Trump is likely to postpone any decision on military action until after his planned trip to China later this week, while continuing to use the threat of force as leverage in negotiations.
Sources cited in the reports said Trump’s frustration has been intensified by the continued blockade of the strait and what he sees as divisions within Iran’s leadership, which he believes are preventing Tehran from making the concessions Washington is seeking in nuclear talks.
Sticker depicting Donald Trump placed on fuel pump at BP gas station in Asheville, North Carolina, 17 April 2026 (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images via AFP)