GOP Sen. James Lankford (Okla.) stated on Sunday, August 2, 2026, that President Donald Trump “has no desire” to bomb Iran, following the president's decision to halt planned strikes against the Middle Eastern country.

Speaking to host Shannon Bream on "Fox News Sunday," Lankford emphasized, “The president’s still focused on trying to be able to get a deal.” He added, “We have the capability to be able to bomb them back to the Stone Age, but there’s no desire to be able to do that. We use military force, and the president’s been very careful on using military force only to be able to get them to the table to actually negotiate.”

Late Saturday night, Trump announced that while the U.S. military remained “locked and loaded” for strikes against the Islamic Republic, he was calling off the attack at the urging of Iran and other Middle Eastern nations after Iranian officials agreed to the “perimeters” of a deal. On Truth Social, Trump wrote, “This would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.” He added that the Israeli government supported the decision and that the cancellation was “subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL.”

During the conflict, Iran’s restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have significantly impacted global energy markets, with the price of a gallon of regular gas in the U.S. rising roughly $1.10 as of Sunday compared to two days before the conflict began, according to AAA.

Lankford said the two main conditions for a deal with Iran—the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and Iran curbing its nuclear program—should “not be unrealistic expectations for any civilized nation.” However, he noted that despite Trump’s announcements of agreements, fighting has continued after Iranian officials dismissed the president’s overtures.

Sources