Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday said the United States wants a diplomatic solution to the crisis over attacks on Saudi oil production by Iran-backed Houthi rebels — but that “military might” isn’t ruled out.
In an interview on ABC News’ “This Week,” Pompeo also insisted two years of escalating sanctions against Tehran are working.
“We are well on our way to forcing the Iranian regime, to ultimately make the decision to become a normal nation— that's all we've ever asked,” “he said, adding: “We do want a peaceful resolution. That is our objective.”
"President [Donald] Trump and I both want to give diplomacy every opportunity to succeed," Pompeo said. But if that fails, he said, “the whole world knows of American military might.”
Pompeo also dismissed concerns about reports that Trump pressed the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
“I do think we need to get to the bottom” of allegations that Biden intervened as vice president to protect his son,” he said. “If Joe Biden did that, we want to know.”
Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani has previously raised questions about whether Biden, as vice president, pushed for the ouster of former Ukrainian prosecutor general Viktor Shokin, who had investigated a private Ukrainian gas company, Burisma Group. Hunter Biden was a board member of Burisma.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.