Bessent: US likely won’t restart large-scale Iran combat
By The BriefBrief
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration’s maximum economic pressure on Iran would likely remove the need for a large-scale U.S. military “kinetic restart.” His remarks came hours after President Donald Trump said the U.S. would impose major economic penalties on countries providing any “lifeline” to Tehran.
WHO:Scott Bessent
WHAT:Bessent said maximum economic pressure would likely mean the U.S. will not restart large-scale kinetic combat against Iran.
WHEN:Aug 20, 2026
WHERE:USA
WHY:Bessent was responding to the administration’s plan to apply maximum economic pressure on Iran, reducing the need for major military operations.
