American President Donald Trump is examining the removal of senior officials who opposed his decision to proceed with a deal to ease tensions with Iran, according to reporting by the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom. The officials reportedly facing scrutiny include Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
An American source told Israel Hayom that the internal dispute has now been settled and those who opposed the president's choice may pay a personal political cost. The message from the White House, according to the source, is that Iran is no longer an open question but a decided matter.
The conflict reflects deep divisions within Trump's administration over whether engagement with Tehran represents a strategic opportunity or a dangerous capitulation. Vice President JD Vance, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and presidential advisor Jared Kushner championed the deal on the calculation that the Iranian regime is unlikely to collapse soon and that Gulf states, particularly Qatar, were pressing for normalisation. They argued that economic pressure on Tehran has reached its limits and that further isolation will not force regime change.
Opposed to this approach were Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and officials within the Pentagon and State Department, who contended that sustained economic pressure was yielding results and that strengthening the Iranian government could either force capitulation or accelerate the regime's decline. A decisive meeting last week saw Trump commit to the arrangement. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent raised the sole substantive objection, warning that sanctions relief would be difficult to reverse. Despite this caution, sanctions are expected to be lifted at least partially once the Strait of Hormuz opens fully.
Rubio appears, for now, to have avoided the risk facing Hegseth and Ratcliffe. According to Israel Hayom, he moved cautiously, avoiding public criticism of the deal whilst maintaining significant political influence within the administration and among Republican voters.
The newspaper also reported that Trump adopted his envoys' line on Israel. Vance has repeatedly assured White House briefings that Israel's right to self-defence would be preserved. Yet each time Israel took military action in Lebanon or against Iran, Vance reportedly urged Trump to restrain Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of attempting to sabotage the emerging accord.
Source: Axios
