Trump Calls Off Planned Iran Strike at Last-Minute Request of Gulf Leaders — Military Remains 'Ready on a Moment's Notice' for 'Full, Large Scale Assault'; Day 81

President Trump announced on May 19, 2026 (Day 81) via Truth Social that he had called off a planned military attack on Iran that had been scheduled for execution on Tuesday. Trump stated that leaders of Gulf states — specifically Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE — had personally contacted him to request he 'hold off' because 'serious negotiations are now taking place' and they believed 'a Deal will be made.' The announcement came after Trump had convened the National Security Council in the Situation Room to review military options, with attendees including VP JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, JCS Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. Options reviewed included whether to change US military posture in the Strait of Hormuz and whether to become more aggressive there. Despite calling off the strike, Trump simultaneously warned on Truth Social that he had instructed the US military to 'be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment's notice' if no deal is reached, adding: 'If we can do that without bombing the hell out of them, I'd be very happy. Iran can't have a nuclear weapon.' The Gulf states' intervention — representing the first known direct last-minute request to halt a US strike on Iran — signals that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and UAE are playing an active behind-the-scenes role in preserving diplomatic space even as the formal US-Iran negotiations remain deadlocked. The pattern mirrors the Gulf states' behind-the-scenes moderation role throughout the conflict: officially neutral but privately working to prevent escalation that would devastate their own economies and regional security. This marks the most dramatic last-minute diplomatic intervention since the Pakistan-brokered April 8 ceasefire.