The White House said on Monday that President Donald Trump is open to asking Arab countries to help cover the cost of the war with Iran, as his administration continues to pursue both military pressure and diplomatic talks with Tehran. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said it was an idea Trump was interested in, though she declined to provide further details.
Leavitt made the remark during a briefing in Washington when asked whether Arab states might be asked to contribute financially, similar to the way some allies helped fund the 1990 to 1991 Gulf War. She said she would not get ahead of the president, but confirmed that the idea was under consideration.
The comment comes at a tense moment in the Iran conflict. Reuters reported that the White House also said talks with Tehran were progressing, even though Iran has publicly rejected some U.S. demands and described American proposals as unrealistic.
Trump has coupled talk of negotiations with fresh threats, warning that Iran’s energy infrastructure could be destroyed if Tehran does not move toward a ceasefire or reopen the Strait of Hormuz. That has added to concerns that the administration is trying to combine diplomacy, military escalation and regional burden sharing all at once.
The proposal to seek Arab funding could prove politically and diplomatically sensitive, especially because Gulf states have differing views on how the conflict should end. Associated Press reported that some Gulf allies want Iran weakened further before any settlement, while others still favor a diplomatic outcome.
Overall, the White House position suggests Trump is looking for ways to spread both the political and financial cost of the conflict across regional allies, even as the war and negotiations remain unsettled. This last point is an inference based on the White House statement and parallel reports on Gulf states’ positions.
