U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz has stated that a temporary halt in military strikes against Iran is intended to give diplomatic efforts "some space" and "a little bit of time" to succeed. Speaking on "Face the Nation" on July 26, 2026, at 2:06 PM EDT, Waltz described President Trump as a "president of peace" who is actively giving diplomacy a chance, though he noted that additional American military assets continue to move into the region.
The pause in U.S. strikes occurred on Friday and Saturday nights, halting 13 consecutive days of bombing that followed the collapse of a nearly three-month ceasefire in early July. Tehran also paused its military strikes on Sunday. During this period, Iranian officials and their counterparts in Oman held discussions described by an Iranian official as constructive. Waltz praised the diplomatic mediation efforts of Oman during his interview.
Addressing reports that the Trump administration is concerned about the depletion of certain advanced air-defense interceptors and precision-guided weapons in the Middle East, Waltz dismissed the claims. He called the idea that the U.S. lacks necessary military inventory "nonsense," asserting that the military has everything it needs in the theater of operations, with even more assets currently en route.
The ongoing conflict has drawn significant concern from the American public. A national poll published on Sunday revealed that a majority of Americans describe their feelings about the war as "uncertain" or "frustrated." While respondents emphasized the importance of keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, halting Iran's nuclear weapons program, and countering regional threats, most expressed the belief that the conflict is not going well.
The strategic direction of the conflict has also split members of Congress. Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who has opposed the war with Iran from its inception, urged the administration to immediately sit down and negotiate with Iranian leadership. Sanders warned of the severe economic consequences of the fighting, pointing to rising gas prices and inflation. "Let's sit down. Let's negotiate with them. Let's stop the killing," Sanders said. "Let's stop the devastation to our economy, which is raising gas prices, prices all across the board."
In response, Senator John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, criticized Sanders' approach as a premature withdrawal. "Bernie wants to just come home. He wants to turn out the lights, make sure the cat's inside, and go to bed," Kennedy remarked, calling such a strategy a "huge, huge mistake." Kennedy argued that the U.S. must maintain its presence to achieve its goals, saying, "I don't think we ought to just cut and run. If we can stand the pain of the rising cost of energy, we need to stay the course at least for a few more months." However, Kennedy specified that he does not support deploying ground troops to the conflict.
