Bessent Says U.S. Must 'Escalate to De-Escalate' in Iran -- WSJ

Dow Jones03-22 23:06

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday that the U.S. must "escalate to de-escalate" when asked whether the president plans to slow the war in Iran.

Overnight, President Trump warned in a Truth Social post, "If Iran doesn't FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!"

The president vacillated between saying the war with Iran is winding down or whether the U.S. will continue to strike Iranian targets.

Asked on NBC's "Meet the Press" about the president's divergent sentiments, Bessent said, "It's not mutually exclusive." He said the president can wind the war down any time he wants, but he has been clear about the goals, including to destroy the Iran's air force, navy, and missile capabilities.

"He'll take whatever steps it takes to achieve those goals," Bessent said.

This item is part of a Wall Street Journal live coverage event. The full stream can be found by searching P/WSJL (WSJ Live Coverage).

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 22, 2026 11:06 ET (15:06 GMT)

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