Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. military remains prepared for action as President Donald Trump paused a planned strike on Iran and turned toward negotiations aimed at securing a nuclear agreement.
Trump Halts Iran Strike Plans On Sunday, in a post on X, Hegseth wrote, "Fact.
The @DeptofWar was ready to go — and remains ready — at levels not seen since World War 2.
Locked and loaded." Fact.The @DeptofWar was ready to go — and remains ready — at levels not seen since World War 2.Locked and loaded. https://t.co/RzibCDfn05— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) August 2, 2026 Trump said that talks with Iran would begin after he stopped what he described as a "massive attack" that was being prepared.
"They knew the extent of the attack because they saw it forming," the President told reporters aboard Air Force One.
