US President Donald Trump stated on Sunday, March 8, 2026, that any decision to end the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran would be made jointly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing the process as “mutual…a little bit.”
In a brief phone interview with the Times of Israel, Trump was asked whether Netanyahu would have a direct say in halting US strikes. “I think it’s mutual…a little bit. We’ve been talking. I’ll make a decision at the right time, but everything’s going to be taken into account,” he replied.
When pressed on the possibility that Israel might continue its operations independently after the United States ceases its attacks, Trump dismissed the scenario as unlikely. “I don’t think it’s going to be necessary,” he said.
The comments reflect the close coordination between Washington and Jerusalem since the conflict erupted on February 28, 2026, with a large-scale joint US-Israeli strike that killed more than 1,200 people in Iran, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, over 150 schoolgirls, and several senior military commanders.
Iran has since launched repeated retaliatory barrages, targeting US military bases, diplomatic facilities, and personnel across the region, as well as multiple cities in Israel. Iranian attacks have included the use of missiles armed with cluster munitions, according to regional reports. At least six US service members have been killed in the Iranian counterstrikes.
The White House initially projected on Friday that the war would last four to six weeks. However, that timeline has shifted rapidly amid intensified exchanges, and Trump has consistently declined to commit to any specific end date.
In a separate interview with ABC News on Sunday, Trump addressed Iran’s appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei — the late Supreme Leader’s son — as the new Supreme Leader, a decision announced earlier that day by Iran’s Assembly of Experts. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) swiftly pledged its full support for the succession.
Trump was dismissive of the new leader’s prospects without American backing. “He’s not going to last long,” the US president said. “He’s going to have to get approval from us. If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long. We want to make sure that we don’t have to go back every 10 years, when you don’t have a president like me that’s not going to do it.”
The remarks underscore the Trump administration’s assertive posture toward Iran’s leadership transition, framing US influence as a prerequisite for stability in Tehran. They also highlight the unprecedented nature of the hereditary succession in the Islamic Republic, which has raised concerns about internal regime cohesion and external perceptions of legitimacy amid the ongoing war.
The conflict has already caused widespread regional disruption, including reported restrictions or closures in the Strait of Hormuz, surging global oil prices beyond $100 per barrel, and large-scale evacuations of foreign nationals from Iran and neighboring countries. Diplomatic efforts to de-escalate have so far yielded little progress, with both sides continuing military operations.
Trump’s statements reinforce the administration’s insistence on maintaining strategic control over the war’s trajectory and any eventual political outcome in Iran. As fighting persists, attention remains focused on whether coordinated US-Israeli decision-making can bring the conflict to a close or if prolonged hostilities will further destabilize the Middle East and global energy markets.
