General Dan Caine, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, has advised senior Trump administration officials to seek an honourable way out of the ongoing war with Iran, CNN reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. The report was published on August 8, 2026, and described Caine’s effort to build coordination and a common position among senior officials before further meetings.

According to the sources, Caine warned that intensifying the war could prove counterproductive and said achieving President Donald Trump’s stated goals through air strikes alone was nearly impossible. He discussed the issue with CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance and other senior officials. One source told CNN that Caine was looking for an exit path, while another said his central aim was to prevent the military from being placed in a more dangerous situation.

Trump is reluctant to deploy ground troops to Iran and believes air strikes can persuade Tehran to accept an agreement on his terms. Caine and several administration officials privately doubt that air strikes alone can deliver the desired outcome, prompting a search for alternatives within Trump’s limits. Spokesman Joseph Holstead declined to comment on Caine’s confidential discussions or anonymous-source claims.