US envoy: We could strike Iran this weekend; Trump: I don’t know anything about that

A US envoy claimed Friday that Washington could strike Iran this weekend, but President Donald Trump appeared to pour cold water on the idea, subsequently telling reporters he was unfamiliar with such plans.

“Could there be a strike this weekend? Absolutely,” Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and point man on Syria who does not have a direct role on Iran, told podcast host Mario Nawfal.

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,” Barrack said in an interview as he visited the Gulf.

0:00 / 0:00

Promoted: Z3 2026

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an election on Tuesday, has in recent days repeatedly vowed to topple the Iranian regime, following two major bombing campaigns against it since last year.

Trump has also signaled an openness to resuming strikes after a long deadlock in diplomacy, although he had earlier said it would not happen before US midterm Congressional elections on November 3.

Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories

By signing up, you agree to the terms

On Friday morning, Trump again laid out his options as he sees them. “We could end it very quickly, but… the question is, do we want to finish it off or do we want to let it wither,” he told reporters at the White House.

Barrack, in remarks that contradict Netanyahu, said the US was not looking to topple the Islamic Republic. “If you keep threatening the world, our allies, the Gulf, there will be a consequence. The consequence won’t be regime change,” Barrack said.

“The United States — the president of the United States — has said he’s not interested in regime change,” he added. “The problem with regime change always is, what’s the day-two scenario?”

The US envoy also echoed similar comments made in recent months by Trump, suggesting that the US seeks to make a diplomatic deal, “but if we don’t, and if you keep threatening the world, our allies, the Gulf, there will be a consequence.”

“The consequence won’t be regime change,” Barrack added. “The United States, the president of the United States has said he’s not interested in regime change. He’s interested in rebalancing so that there’s no hostages, there’s no threats, and the world can calm down and ensure what’s there. The problem with regime change always is — what’s the day two scenario?”

Trump was asked later Friday about Barrack’s suggestion that the US could strike Iran this weekend.

“That’s my ambassador to Turkey. He’s a pretty powerful man, I guess,” Trump quipped, apparently suggesting that Barrack doesn’t have the credentials to being making such predictions.

“If that’s the case, I don’t know anything about it,” Trump added.

Help us report truthfully on social media

As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.

This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world. 

If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.

— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist

Support our work Support our work Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this