General Michael Flynn, a former National Security Advisor and one of the most decorated intelligence veterans in American history, has publicly urged President Trump and Vice President JD Vance to pump the brakes on launching any strike against Iran.
Appearing in an interview with Benny Johnson, Flynn, a decorated general who was relentlessly persecuted by the Obama-Biden intelligence regime for standing by Trump in 2017, made it clear: America must not be dragged into yet another endless war — not by the neocons, not by the military-industrial complex, and not by NATO.
The focus, he said, must remain on restoring America and protecting the freedoms the Biden regime has spent four years trying to dismantle, and not to fall into the trap laid by the globalist war machine and their deep state allies.
The path forward, according to Flynn, is not boots on the ground or $100 billion in war spending — it’s strategic patience and support for regime change from within Iran, led by the Iranian people themselves.
Benny Johnson:
JD Vance is somebody who is advising the President, is in his ear, and is in these meetings. He seems to be a very steady hand. Would you advise the President? What would you advise the President right now, given the circumstance with Iran? Would you advise him to strike Iran right now?Gen. Mike Flynn:
No, I wouldn’t. The one thing that I know about warfare is that I can tell the Israelis are on a very methodical and determined military campaign with a series of objectives, a series of phases. They’re likely well into their second phase of this operation, from a military campaigning perspective. So I would not. I would not.It’s like in warfare, Benny—the best plan has the most options right up to the last possible minute. So the President has to have all the options available. And if he decides to use them, he needs to know: when I make that decision, how long is that going to take to implement? So he’s got to have the timing, the sequencing, and all these kinds of things in mind—and people around him.
I don’t think right now is the time. As I look at what the Israelis are doing—because Israel doesn’t want army divisions and boots on the ground—what we all want is for the Iranian people to rise up.
Gen. Mike Flynn:
And guess what? For those listening to this, Benny—the Iranian people know that they’ve lived under a dictatorship for 50 years. The other aspect Trump has to think about—and this is where JD Vance comes in very handily—is continuing to pull on the President to make sure he doesn’t lose focus of why he was elected President of the United States.Back to something you said earlier about there being a nuclear weapon right here in the country, right? And there is. I think those steady hands around him—and I would say that Trump is probably one of the most steady because of the kinds of things that he’s done—there are times when I’ve felt like, “God, I wish Trump would just do this right now,” something he could’ve done inside the country, right? And that has to do with accountability. But another day.
Because right now, the steadiness that he requires involves those options we’ve talked about—and he needs to know the timing and the sequencing. So right now, I would say: hold. I would say: no, just hold on that option.
Gen. Mike Flynn:
Let’s see how the Israeli campaign continues to unfold, and let’s see what the world is going to do. Because NATO is going to try to pull Trump into the war in Ukraine. And what are we going to have? I mean, that’s nuts. That’s nuts up there, what we’re doing—over $500 billion we’ve spent.The Chinese—when it comes to what the Israelis are doing—remember how much oil the Chinese pull through the Strait of Hormuz. And I said it this morning: that’s a very devastating thing, as well as the terror. So there’s some boxing going on here. Think about a boxer who’s in one stance and then changes stance, right? Trump is able to be that adaptive in his ability.
Because, frankly, the United States of America still has—and that’s how I want Trump to think—but I do want Trump to come out to the American people and tell us with some great clarity where parts of his head are, where America needs to be thinking, and what objectives he is still seeking, given the mandate that he was given by the American people. You’ve got to keep the troops informed, Ben.
WATCH:
BREAKING: Gen. Flynn urges President Trump and JD Vance to hold back on striking Iran, Advises them to stay focused on the mission they were elected to carry out:
“No. Do not do it Mr. President. Right now is not the time. Don’t lose focus of why you were elected. You have… pic.twitter.com/4fQyOsDXS0
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) June 19, 2025
