Trump says he would "rather not destroy the rest of the country" as he weighs Iran action

Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, President Donald Trump said he was weighing whether to intensify U.S. action against Iran and suggested a decision could arrive soon. He indicated that he hoped further escalation would not be needed but did not rule it out. The remarks followed heavy Republican losses in the midterm elections, a result the account describes as being viewed as a referendum on the Iran war. Trump has continued to issue warnings toward Iran since the vote. The exchange matters because it points to a possible next phase in the conflict and ties the president’s Iran posture to the political fallout from the elections.