World
'Don't Know Anything About It': Trump Blindsided By Envoy's Claim Of Possible Iran Strike This Weekend
By: News18 World
Published: 24 October 2026
Photo / Illustration: Haldwani Times News Desk
<p>US President Donald Trump has said he is unaware of any plans for a possible US strike on Iran this weekend, after US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack suggested that military action could take place within days.</p>
<p>Asked by reporters in Florida about Barrack’s remarks and whether Washington had reversed its position on holding off on strikes until after the US midterm elections, Trump appeared surprised.</p>
<p>“That was my ambassador? He’s a pretty powerful man, I guess. Well, if that’s the case, I don’t know anything about it," Trump said.</p>
<p>Barrack had said the United States could launch strikes against Iran as early as this weekend while speaking to podcast host Mario Nawfal in an interview published on Friday.</p>
<p>“Could there be a strike this weekend? Absolutely," Barrack said, while stressing that Trump remained open to reaching a diplomatic agreement with Tehran.</p>
<p>“President Donald Trump is very clear. He’s open and available and accessible to a deal, and we’ve been at the table for months and months and months," he added.</p>
<p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces elections on Tuesday, has repeatedly vowed in recent days to topple Iran’s clerical state, following two major bombing campaigns against the country since last year.</p>
<p>Trump has also indicated that he is open to resuming strikes after a prolonged diplomatic deadlock, although he had earlier said military action would not take place before the US congressional elections on November 3.</p>
<p>Barrack, in remarks contradicting Netanyahu’s position, said Washington was not seeking to overthrow the Islamic Republic, a longstanding adversary of the United States and Israel since the 1979 revolution toppled the pro-Western shah.</p>
<p>“If you keep threatening the world, our allies, the Gulf, there will be a consequence. The consequence won’t be regime change," Barrack said.</p>
<p>“The United States, the president of the United States, has said he’s not interested in regime change," he added.</p>
<p>“The problem with regime change always is, what’s the day-two scenario?"</p>
<p>US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack stated that the United States could launch military strikes against Iran as early as the upcoming weekend, while emphasizing that President Donald Trump remains open to a diplomatic agreement with Tehran.</p>
<p>President Donald Trump expressed surprise and appeared completely blindsided by the comments, telling reporters in Florida that he was entirely unaware of any such military plans.</p>
<p>No, Ambassador Tom Barrack clarified that Washington is not seeking to overthrow the Islamic Republic, stating that the US president is not interested in regime change despite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's repeated calls to topple Iran's clerical leadership.</p>
