WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump denied a report on Monday that General Daniel Caine is opposed to an extended military campaign against Iran, calling the reporting “100%” incorrect and promising that Caine is with him when it comes to Iran.
The Wall Street Journal had reported Monday that Caine, fondly dubbed “Razin Caine” by the president, was opposed to the possibility of war plans regarding Iran. On Monday afternoon, the president slammed “numerous stories from the Fake News Media,” suggesting that he and Caine were not on the same page.
“The story does not attribute this vast wealth of knowledge to anyone, and is 100% incorrect,” Trump said. “General Caine, like all of us, would like not to see War but, if a decision is made on going against Iran at a Military level, it is his opinion that it will be something easily won.”
The White House in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images
“He knows Iran well in that he was in charge of Midnight Hammer, the attack on the Iranian Nuclear Development,” the president noted. “It is a Development no longer, but rather, was blown to smithereens by our Great B-2 Bombers. Razin Caine is a Great Fighter, and represents the Most Powerful Military anywhere in the World.”
Trump argued that Caine has not even “spoken of not doing Iran, or even the fake limited strikes that I have been reading about.”
“He only knows one thing, how to WIN and, if he is told to do so, he will be leading the pack,” Trump said. “Everything that has been written about a potential War with Iran has been written incorrectly, and purposefully so. I am the one that makes the decision, I would rather have a Deal than not but, if we don’t make a Deal, it will be a very bad day for that Country and, very sadly, its people, because they are great and wonderful, and something like this should never have happened to them.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that Caine was raising concerns with Trump about the war plans the United States is considering, concerns the publication claims are also shared by other Pentagon leaders. The WSJ reports that the United States is considering a number of options for strikes on Iran, including limited strikes, a days-long aerial campaign that would be focused on regime change, and more.
Officials expressed concerns about the possibility that a longer campaign in Iran would be costly for United States forces and deplete munitions stockpiles, the WSJ reported, noting that this would make protecting regional partners more complicated if Iran were still able to fight back. It could additionally impact future conflicts with China, the publication reported, if the United States used rarer air-defense munitions against Iran.
Trump has repeatedly insisted he has not yet made up his mind on what to do in Iran, emphasizing that all options remain on the table and that Iran would be wise not to harm its citizens or anger the United States further. Meanwhile, the United States has amassed a massive fleet of warships and planes near Iran, the largest the U.S. has gathered in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq war.
The WSJ report emphasizes that Trump, who has not made up his mind on how to act, greatly values Caine’s opinion. But the president’s Monday statement argues they are on the same page, and that Caine ultimately will follow Trump’s lead.
The White House responded similarly to the Wall Street Journal.
“General Caine is a highly respected professional whose job requires providing unbiased information to the Commander in Chief, which he does perfectly,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told the publication. “President Trump listens to feedback from all members of his national security team, and he is always the final decision maker.”
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