Advisers to President Donald Trump appear to be mounting a remarkable internal revolt—leaking cautionary messages to the media in what looks like a coordinated attempt to dissuade him from ordering military strikes on Iran.
Across roughly 48 hours starting Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, several major news outlets received nearly identical briefings from unnamed administration officials, all warning about the dangers of attacking Iran. The unusual leak effort indicates significant concern within Trump’s senior ranks over how he is handling the fast‑intensifying standoff.
The concerns focus on Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine, Trump’s closest military adviser, who has privately warned that U.S. weapons stockpiles have been heavily depleted due to defending Israel and aiding Ukraine. According to multiple reports, Caine told Trump and top officials at a Feb. 17 White House meeting that Patriot, THAAD, and SM-3 interceptor reserves might last only around two weeks if Iran launched a major missile barrage.
Participants at the meeting included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and adviser Stephen Miller. Sources say Caine cautioned that any offensive on Iran could pull the U.S. into a drawn‑out conflict—a warning that seems to have led allies inside the administration to push their concerns into public view, albeit behind anonymity.
“Someone in that administration is trying to head off what they realize will be a disaster,” said journalist Branko Marcetic, who highlighted the pattern of coordinated leaks.
The military buildup around Iran has surged rapidly. The USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest U.S. aircraft carrier, has entered the Mediterranean and could be within strike range of Iran within days. The ship has been deployed since June 2025, approaching what may become a record‑setting mission exceeding 300 days, surpassing the 294‑day post‑Vietnam record of the USS Abraham Lincoln in 2020. Meanwhile, over a dozen guided‑missile destroyers have shifted into Middle Eastern and Mediterranean waters.
Aircraft tracking data shows numerous flights headed to Diego Garcia, the U.S. base in the Chagos Islands south of Iran across the Arabian Sea. More than 150 U.S. military cargo flights have delivered weapons and ammunition to the region in recent weeks, with analysts calling it one of the largest American military buildups in the area since the 2003 Iraq invasion.
Trump, 79, is reportedly considering a narrow strike “in the coming days,” according to officials who spoke to several outlets. But the potential scope remains uncertain. Former Pentagon experts told reporters that hitting Iran’s missile infrastructure could mean striking hundreds of locations, and any effort to destabilize Iran’s government could require thousands of targets and last weeks or even months.
Logistical issues are growing. Arab governments have privately told Washington they will not allow their territory to be used as staging grounds for strikes on Iran, according to a senior Persian Gulf official. The State Department ordered non‑essential staff and families to leave the U.S. Embassy in Lebanon on Monday in anticipation of possible retaliation from Iran‑aligned militias.
Concerns at the Pentagon are compounded by past losses: the USS Harry S. Truman lost three F/A‑18 Super Hornets during operations against the Houthis in the Red Sea between late 2024 and May 2025. A Navy investigation cited leadership shortcomings, training issues, and equipment failures. The Ford is currently experiencing sewage system malfunctions needing near‑daily repairs, and its sailors are overworked after many months at sea, with some considering leaving the service.
The internal debate has created rare fractures. Vice President Vance has voiced worries about escalation and long‑term entanglement, while envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have encouraged Trump to allow diplomacy more time. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has advocated for a forceful approach.
In a notable break from precedent, CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper—responsible for the region including Iran—has been excluded from Trump’s Iran strategy meetings and has not spoken with the president since the crisis began in January. Cooper’s predecessor, Gen. Erik Kurilla, routinely briefed both Trump and former President Biden on Middle East operations.
Diplomatic discussions between U.S. and Iranian representatives are set for Feb. 26 in Geneva, presenting a possible path to avoid military confrontation.
Trump has denied the reports as “100 percent incorrect” on Truth Social, asserting that media outlets depicted his stance “incorrectly, and purposefully so.” He stated that Caine “has not spoken of not doing Iran” and “only knows one thing, how to WIN.” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly defended Trump’s decision‑making process, saying he “listens to feedback from all members of his national security team, and he is always the final decision maker.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles have not commented publicly on the leaks.
The coordinated leak effort marks an unusual episode in U.S. politics—a president’s own team using the press to constrain his options. The outcome of the Geneva talks may determine whether the leaks succeed in steering Trump away from military action or instead harden his stance, as the military buildup continues and diplomatic efforts race against time.
