JUST IN: Trump DENIES reports of pre-midterm strikes on Iran

>> J John: PRESIDENT TRUMP. REPORTEDLY WEIGHING NEW STRIKES. ON IRAN AHEAD OF THE MIDTERMS. PLANS THAT WOULD INCLUDE MASSIVE. BOMBING OF IRANIAN ENERGY AND. NUCLEAR TARGETS. HOWEVER, PRESIDENT TRUMP IS. DENYING ALL REPORTS POSTING THAT. THE U.S. AND IRAN ARE HAVING. PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS AND THERE. WILL BE NO STRIKES PRIOR TO. NOVEMBER 3RD. RETIRED D U.S. MARINE CORPS. COLONEL AND IRAQI INVASION.

COMMANDER MIKE JERNIGAN GOOD TO. BE WITH YOU. HERE'S WHAT AXIOS REPORTED ON. THE POSSIBILITY OF STRIKES. THEY SAID "THE PENTAGON. INSTRUCTED U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND. SEVERAL DAYS AGO TO CONCLUDE. PREPARATIONS FOR RESUMING MAJOR. COMBAT OPERATIONS IN IRAN. , U.S. OFFICIALS SAID. THE BIG PICTURE AND MAJOR COMBAT. OPERATIONS RESUMED THEY ARE. EXPECTED TO INCLUDE THE MASSIVE. BOMBING OF IRANIAN ENERGY. INFRASTRUCTURE NUCLEAR TARGETS, SOURCES SAY.". THE PRESIDENT DID COME OUT ON. TRUTH SOCIAL A FEW MOMENTS AGO. AND SAY THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE. ANY KINETIC ATTACKS AGAINST IRAN.

BEFORE THE MIDTERMS. AFTER THE MIDTERMS THERE'S A. DIFFERENT STORY. ALSO WE ONLY HAVE ONE CARRIER. GROUP IN THE REGION NOW. THE USSS THEODORE ROOSEVELT IS. MAKING ITS WAY THERE AND STILL. MOVING VERY SLOWLY. CONTINUES TO BE IN THE EASTERN. PACIFIC. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT BETWEEN NOW. AND THE MIDTERMS AND WHAT ARE. YOU EXPECTING AFTERWARDS? >> GOOD AFTERNOON, JOHN. WHAT I'M EXPECTING IS I THINK. THE PRESIDENT IS GIVING THE. IRANIANS UNCERTAINTY IN THEIR. PLANNING CALCULUS. I SPECIFICALLY MEAN THE MIDTERM.

ELECTIONS ARE KIND OF AN. ARTIFICIAL DATE THAT ARE. IMPORTANT TO AMERICANS AND. AMERICAN VOTERS BUT BY SAYING TO. THE IRANIANS I'LL STRIKE BEFORE. THE ELECTIONS OR AFTER THE. ELECTIONS, HE'S NOT GIVING THEM. A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT. THEY HAVE TO PREPARE FOR. THE UNCERTAINTY IS GOING TO LEAD. TO SOME BAD DECISIONS AND THEY. HAVE HABITUALLY MADE BAD. DECISIONS. SO I THINK THAT'S ONE PART OF. WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS SAYING. HERE THE OTHER PART OF WHAT I. THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN IS. CENTCOM IS REPORTED THEY'VE. STRUCK 5000 TARGETS. BUT THAT'S ONLY 80% OF THE. ORIGINAL TARGET LIST. THAT 20% REMAINING, THOSE ARE.

THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT YOU'RE. TALKING ABOUT. DAMS, AIRPORTS, BRIDGES. ALL THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO. HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON THE. IRANIANS. I THINK THE PRESIDENT IS JUST. REMINDING THE IRANIAN LEADERS, WE STILL HAVE SOME MORE TO. STRIKE. WHY DON'T YOU GIVE UP YOUR. NUCLEAR WEAPON ASPIRATIONS. >> John: THERE WAS A REPORT IN. THE ATLANTIC THAT SUGGESTED THE. PRESIDENT WAS GOING TO STRIKE. BEFORE THE MIDTERMS BECAUSE HE'S. CONCERERNED ABOUT THE HIGH PRICE. OF OIL AND GAS. IF ANYTHING IT'S GOING TO DRIVE. UP THE PRICE OF OIL AND GAS, IT. WOULD BE ATTACKING IRAN BETWEEN.

NOW AND NOVEMBER 3RD. >> I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF. INTERNATIONAL IMPLICATIONS THAT. COME AS SECOND AND THIRD ORDER. EFFECTS. SO I BELIEVE THAT THE PRESIDENT. HAS SOME REALLY GOOD STRATEGIC. ADVISORS WHO ARE KIND OF LAYING. OUT SOME OF THOSE -- THERE ARE. OPTIONS FOR THE PRESIDENT. SOME OF THEM WILL HAVE. CONSEQUENCES TO THE IRANIANS. MANY MAY ALSO HAVE SECOND. CONSEQUENCES TO OTHER PEOPLE IN. THE WORLD. >> John: GENERAL JACK KEANE. WAS ON EARLIER TODAY AND SAID HE. BELIEVES THE BEST WAY FORWARD IS. THE ECONOMIC SQUEEZE THAT THE. PRESIDENT IS CURRENTLY ENGAGING. IN AND THEN WORKING WITH ISRAEL.

TO TARGET THE LEADERSHIP. >> I THINK THE CLEAREST PASS TO. SET THE CONDITIONS FOR COLLAPSE. IS A COMBINATION OF WHAT. SECRETARY BESSENT IS DOING, THE. BLOCKADE, THE MILITARY OPTION. AND THEN LISTEN, COVERT ACTIONS. BY THE MOSSAD AND THE CIA. UNDERMINE THE REGIME WHICH THEY. ARE CURRENTLY DOING AND ALSO. MEANS YOU HAVE TO HELP THE. NUMBERS OF RESISTANCE GROUPS. THAT WANT TO TAKE ON THIS.

REGIME. >> John: THAT'S THE BIG. UNKNOWN, THE THING WE HAVEN'T. HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT. PLENTY OF RESISTANCE GROUPS IN. IRAN BUT THEY ARE VERY QUIET. BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO GET. KILLED. HAVE YOU HEARD OF ANY. OPERATIONS, CLANDESTINE OR. OTHERWISE TRYING TO ARM THOSE. GROUPS THAT THEY WOULD BE IN A. POSITIONON TO OVERTHROW? >> I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH. GENERAL KEANE, JOHN. SPECIFICALLY THE IRANIANS RIGHT. NOW ARE FIGHTING BALUCHISTAN. RESISTERS IN THE SOUTH PART OF. THE COUNTRY. THEY ARE FIGHTING THE KURDS IN. THE NORTH PART OF THE COUNTRY SO.

THEY HAVE THEY HAVE ACTUAL NAMED. ORGANIZED ARMED FORCES THERE. THTHEY ARE FIGHTING INSIDE THEIR. OWN COUNTRY. WE MAY NOT EVEN NEED TO ARM. CLANDESTINE PEOPLE TO UPRISE. >> John: SOME OF THEM DO HAVE. WEAPONS THROUGH THE IRJC STILL. REMAINS A POTENT FORCE. BUT YOU NEVER KNOW. YOU DON'T PAY SOMEBODY LONG. ENOUGH, MIGHT BE OF A DIFFER.