Donald Trump has reportedly complainted that his closest advisers “want to push [the US] into a war” with Iran, following his decision to cancel military strikes against the Islamic Republic.
“These people want to push us into a war, and it’s so disgusting,” the US president said about his inner circle of aides, according to The Wall Street Journal.
“We don’t need any more wars.”
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Mr Trump is said to have made the remarks about his administration officials to a confidant, in a private conversation on Friday.
The 73-year-old chose to hire hawkish aides such as John Bolton, his national security adviser, who is a longtime advocate of regime change in Iran.
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In this picture released by Iran state TV, Iran has claimed their surface-to-air missile is seen as it shoots down a US surveillance drone
EPA
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This photo shows US RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned surveillance drone. A drone of this model was shot down by Iran on Thursday 21 June
AFP/Getty
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An oil tanker is on fire after it was subject to a suspected attacked at the Gulf of Oman on June 13
Reuters
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Smoke billows from an oil tanker after it was subject to a suspected attacked at the Gulf of Oman on June 13
Reuters
5/13
An Iranian navy boat tackles the fire on the Norwegian owned Front Altair oil tanker after it was hit in a suspected attack
AFP/Getty
6/13
Smoke billows from an oil tanker after it was subject to a suspected attacked at the Gulf of Oman on June 13
Reuters
7/13
A screenshot from a video released by the US Department of Defense that the US claims to show Iranian removing an unexploded limpet mine form the hull of the Japan-owned ship that was attacked in the Gulf of Oman on June 13
Getty
8/13
An item reportedly found on the Japan-owned oil tanker that was attacked on June 13 in the Gulf of Oman
AFP/Getty
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A handout photograph from the US Department of Defense shows a composite material that the US claim was left behind on the hull of the Japan-owned oil tanker following the removal of an unexploded limpet mine
Getty
10/13
A view from the cabin of an Iranian navy boat as it tackles the fire on the Norwegian owned Front Altair oil tanker after it was hit in a suspected attack
EPA
11/13 Release by US government
A picture released by U.S. Central Command shows damage to the hull of the oil tanker Kokuka Courageous. The picture suggests that the ship is ‘likely’ to have been hit by a mine as the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo moves to blame Iran for the suspected attack
Reuters
12/13
Smoke billows from an oil tanker after it was subject to a suspected attacked at the Gulf of Oman on June 13
Reuters
13/13 Release by US government
A picture released by U.S. Central Command shows damage to the hull of the oil tanker Kokuka Courageous. The pictures suggests that the ship is ‘likely’ to have been hit by a mine as the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo moves to blame Iran for the suspected attack
EPA
1/13
In this picture released by Iran state TV, Iran has claimed their surface-to-air missile is seen as it shoots down a US surveillance drone
EPA
2/13
This photo shows US RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned surveillance drone. A drone of this model was shot down by Iran on Thursday 21 June
AFP/Getty
3/13
An oil tanker is on fire after it was subject to a suspected attacked at the Gulf of Oman on June 13
Reuters
4/13
Smoke billows from an oil tanker after it was subject to a suspected attacked at the Gulf of Oman on June 13
Reuters
5/13
An Iranian navy boat tackles the fire on the Norwegian owned Front Altair oil tanker after it was hit in a suspected attack
AFP/Getty
6/13
Smoke billows from an oil tanker after it was subject to a suspected attacked at the Gulf of Oman on June 13
Reuters
7/13
A screenshot from a video released by the US Department of Defense that the US claims to show Iranian removing an unexploded limpet mine form the hull of the Japan-owned ship that was attacked in the Gulf of Oman on June 13
Getty
8/13
An item reportedly found on the Japan-owned oil tanker that was attacked on June 13 in the Gulf of Oman
AFP/Getty
9/13
A handout photograph from the US Department of Defense shows a composite material that the US claim was left behind on the hull of the Japan-owned oil tanker following the removal of an unexploded limpet mine
Getty
10/13
A view from the cabin of an Iranian navy boat as it tackles the fire on the Norwegian owned Front Altair oil tanker after it was hit in a suspected attack
EPA
11/13 Release by US government
A picture released by U.S. Central Command shows damage to the hull of the oil tanker Kokuka Courageous. The picture suggests that the ship is ‘likely’ to have been hit by a mine as the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo moves to blame Iran for the suspected attack
Reuters
12/13
Smoke billows from an oil tanker after it was subject to a suspected attacked at the Gulf of Oman on June 13
Reuters
13/13 Release by US government
A picture released by U.S. Central Command shows damage to the hull of the oil tanker Kokuka Courageous. The pictures suggests that the ship is ‘likely’ to have been hit by a mine as the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo moves to blame Iran for the suspected attack
EPA
Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, also advocates hardline positions against the Middle Eastern country.
But the president abruptly cancelled planned military strikes on three Iranian targets on Thursday.
He claimed he did so after learning that 150 people would be killed in the strikes, which were planned in response to Iran shooting down an unmanned US drone.
Tehran claims the drone was struck above its own waters, while the US argues that it was attacked above international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz.
US military forces launched a cyber attack against Iran’s army computer systems on Thursday in response to the drone’s loss.
Tensions between the US and Iran have steadily been rising over oil tanker attacks in the strait, for which the US believes Iran is responsible.
Mr Trump told White House reporters on Saturday that he disagreed with his team over Iran.
“John Bolton is doing a good job, but he takes generally a tough posture,” he said.
“The only one that matters is me.”
The president also discussed Mr Bolton’s support of the Iraq war and told reporters the conflict had been a big mistake.
Mr Trump also said that unspecified new sanctions would be enforced against Iran on Monday but struck a softer tone when discussing the diplomatic crisis.
“The fact is we’re not going to have Iran have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
“And when they agree to that, they are going to have a wealthy country, they’re going to be so happy and I’m going to be their best friend.”
