President Donald Trump confirmed that Iran was most likely responsible for the drone attacks against Saudi Arabia oil production, but he would consult with Saudi officials to plan a response.
The president spoke to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday during a visit with Bahrain’s Crown Prince and discussed what his response to the attacks would be.
Trump said that it looked like Iran was responsible, but he declined to state it definitively.
“Soon as we find out definitively, we’ll let you know, but it does look that way,” Trump said when asked if he thought Iran was responsible.
The president resisted rhetoric that he was looking for a military conflict with the responsible parties for the oil attacks, but repeated that the United States was “more prepared than any country in history” for any strikes.
He said that Saudi Arabia was an important trade ally and would coordinate a response with them to the attacks.
“They are very upset. They are very angry,” he said, referring to the Saudis. “We’re looking for the final checkpoints. And I think you won’t be surprised who did it.”
Trump confirmed that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other officials would travel to Saudi Arabia to discuss the attack and an appropriate response.
He dismissed the notion that he was prepared to start another military conflict in the Middle East.
“I don’t want war with anybody,” Trump said, adding that he would look to avoid military conflicts with Iran. “That was an attack on Saudi Arabia, that wasn’t an attack on us.”