BIG: Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has privately made clear to senior Trump administration officials that the U.S. needs to “find an off-ramp” from the war with Iran, believing the military options available to escalate the conflict could backfire.
While Caine has assured Trump that the U.S. military “could absolutely wreck them” if ordered, he has also emphasized the limits of military force, concerns over dwindling U.S. munitions stockpiles, and the risks of a prolonged conflict.
As a result, officials have increasingly discussed finding an “off-ramp” that would allow the administration to de-escalate while still claiming progress.
Source: CNN
— @clashreport Aug 7, 2026
