Trump Curious Why Iran Has Not 'Capitulated' Amid U.S. Military Buildup, Says Witkoff [View all]

Source: Huff Post/Reuters

Feb 22, 2026, 07:58 AM EST


Feb 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is curious as to why Iran has not yet “capitulated” and agreed to curb its nuclear programme, as Washington builds up its military capability in the Middle East, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said.

“I don’t want to use the word ‘frustrated,’ because he understands he has plenty of alternatives, but he’s curious as to why they haven’t... I don’t want to use the word ‘capitulated,’ but why they haven’t capitulated,” Witkoff said in an interview on Fox News on Saturday.

“Why, under this pressure, with the amount of seapower and naval power over there, why haven’t they come to us and said, ‘We profess we don’t want a weapon, so here’s what we’re prepared to do’? And yet it’s sort of hard to get them to that place.”

Trump has ordered a huge buildup of forces in the Middle East and preparations for a potential multi-week air attack on Iran. Iran has threatened to strike U.S. bases if it is attacked.

Read more: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-iran-military-buildup-middle-east_n_699afc56e4b05375e27f106e