US President Donald Trump looks on at a midterm campaign rally at Five Flags Center in Dubuque, Iowa on November 1, 2026. - Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

President Donald Trump said on Sunday that it is “highly unlikely” he will need to order the US back to war with Iran as long as there is progress in negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, repeating his assertion five times during an interview with CNN.

“It depends on whether or not they sign a very strong agreement,” Trump told CNN’s Jim Sciutto during a 20-minute phone interview, referring to Iran. “The answer is highly unlikely it’s g...