Trump Reportedly Erupts at National Security Team Over Iran as Ally Says There Was 'No Real Strategy'

President Donald Trump has reportedly erupted at senior national security officials as frustration grows inside his administration over the stalled Iran conflict and the absence of a clear path to ending it.

Trump is said to be increasingly angry over the lack of progress in forcing Iran into a deal, according to reports, which cited a US official and a person familiar with a recent high-level discussion. An ally close to the president told the outlet that Trump did not expect the conflict to drag on for so long.

'The president is exasperated,' the ally said. 'I don't think he believed it was going to be this difficult to get the Iranians to agree to a deal.'

The same ally added: 'There was not a real strategy for how long or what they should do to get to the endpoint... He did not intend this to be a long, drawn-out war.'

The remarks point to a growing strain inside the administration as the conflict nears its sixth month, despite Trump's earlier insistence that Tehran was 'desperate' to negotiate.

Report Claims Trump Yelled at Advisers

Trump 'erupted' during a meeting with senior national security officials last week, with one source saying he shouted and used expletives as advisers debated the next steps. A US official reportedly said that the problem was not just Iran's resistance, but the lack of unity in Washington.

'After all this time, there is no unity,' the official said. 'We have had a series of tactical victories but are facing a strategic defeat without clear policy guidance or a decision about where this is going.'

The war began after joint US-Israeli strikes on 28 February killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, triggering Iranian retaliation, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and a wider military deadlock.

White House Denies Rift

The White House has rejected the report. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the account 'false' and said Trump still had confidence in his team.

'The president has a great team whom he trusts, and everyone on the team knows he's the final decision-maker,' Leavitt said.

She added that Trump would not 'stand by' while Iran violated the memorandum of understanding, killed US soldiers or fired at American ships in the strait.

'So until that behaviour changes, his behaviour will not change,' she said. 'He's locked and loaded to keep punishing Iran.'

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell also denied any split, saying Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine remained 'completely aligned' on Iran operations.

Divisions Grow Over Military Strategy

Despite those denials, the reported debate inside Trump's circle appears to centre on how much force to use and what further strikes would achieve. Hegseth and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are said to favour greater military pressure on Iran, while Vice President JD Vance and Caine have questioned the value of deeper escalation.

Caine has reportedly warned Trump about draining US munitions stockpiles through prolonged strikes. The debate cuts against Trump's 2024 campaign promise to avoid new 'forever war' commitments overseas. His earlier strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities were billed as a limited operation, but the latest conflict has become far harder to contain.

Midterms Add Political Pressure

The war is also becoming a domestic problem for Republicans ahead of November's midterm elections. Some GOP figures reportedly want the conflict resolved before voters punish the party over rising fuel prices and war fatigue.

Trump, however, has kept up his hardline tone. Speaking to Fox News on Wednesday, he said: 'We are going to beat the f***ing s*** out of them... We'll be hitting them hard. They are going to get a beating.'

He also expressed frustration with Tehran's diplomacy, saying talks could appear promising before Iranian officials suddenly declared they were no longer negotiating.

For now, the administration insists it is united. But the latest report suggests the bigger question remains unanswered: how Trump plans to end a war he never wanted to become long and drawn out.