Trump prepared to strike Iran by this weekend: Sources - CNN Erin Burnett Outfront

[Rhiannon12866]

The US military is prepared to strike Iran as early as this weekend, though Donald Trump has yet to make a final decision on whether he’ll authorize such actions, sources familiar with the matter tell CNN. The White House has been briefed that the military could be ready for an attack by the weekend, after a significant buildup in recent days of air and naval assets in the Middle East, the sources said.

But one source cautioned that Trump has privately argued both for and against military action and polled advisers and allies on the best course of action. - Aired on 02/18/2026.

0:00 US prepared to strike Iran by the weekend
0:38 Former Adviser to Commanding General weighs in
3:04 On regime change
4:12 Intelligence Committee Ranking Member's thoughts on imminent attack

[Lovie777]

1. Corporate media will be on it.....

[mountain grammy]

2. Somebody stop this madness

[Klarkashton]

3. The Epstein files are really ugly

He isn't logical anymore.

[vapor2]

5. Has he ever been logical?

[Bayard]

4. Notice to the world--

trump will target you for regime change if you don't kiss his ass. I wouldn't think hotels/resorts would do well in Iraq, but who knows.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

6. MaddowBlog-Whether Americans are ready or not, Trump inches U.S. closer to a war in Iran

I have some bad news for voters who assumed Trump would reject military adventurism and ignore the calls for foreign interventionism.

In 2013, Trump tweeted, “Obama will someday attack Iran in order to show how tough he is.” He added, “Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly — not skilled!”

In 2012, he added that Obama would hit Iran because his "poll numbers are in a tailspin.”

Yeah, about that...

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-02-19T16:20:26.569Z

https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/whether-americans-are-ready-or-not-trump-inches-u-s-closer-to-a-war-in-iran

In September 2013, amid concerns about a possible U.S. confrontation with Iran, Donald Trump published a tweet that read, “Remember what I previously said — Obama will someday attack Iran in order to show how tough he is.” The Republican added, two months later, “Remember that I predicted a long time ago that President Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly — not skilled!”.....

Axios published a striking report this week that noted the growing body of evidence that suggests a war with Iran is “imminent.” The report added, “A U.S. military operation in Iran would likely be a massive, weeks-long campaign that would look more like full-fledged war than last month’s pinpoint operation in Venezuela.”

A day later, The Wall Street Journal reported:

The U.S. is sending significant numbers of jet fighters and support aircraft to the Middle East, assembling the greatest amount of air power in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. […]

Over the past few days, the U.S. has continued to move cutting-edge F-35 and F-22 jet fighters toward the Middle East, according to flight-tracking data and a U.S. official. A second aircraft carrier loaded with attack and electronic-warfare planes is on the way. Command-and-control aircraft, which are vital for orchestrating large air campaigns, are inbound. And critical air defenses have been deployed to the region in recent weeks.

.....On Friday, for example, a reporter asked Trump what the U.S. would even target if, as the president has claimed, Iran’s nuclear program has already been “obliterated.” Trump replied, “You could get whatever the dust is down there.”

Five days later, a reporter asked White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt why a military strike in Iran might be necessary. She replied that there are “many reasons and arguments that one could make.”

Q: "Can you share a little bit about…why a strike might be necessary on a nuclear program he said was 'obliterated' by the last U.S. strike?"

Leavitt: "There's many reasons and arguments one could make for a strike against Iran.”

— The Bulwark (@thebulwark.com) 2026-02-18T19:04:52.702Z

.....In the 2024 race, many voters saw Trump’s entire vision as rooted in foreign policy restraint. He was, these voters believed, the candidate who’d reject military adventurism and ignore the calls of those who embrace foreign interventionism.

I have some bad news for those Americans.