1:55Harbor tug boats assist the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln as it enters Naval Base Guam on December 11, 2025. Valerie Lynn Maigue/U.S. Navy
Sources familiar with the talks have indicated that the Pentagon is likely to dispatch additional military resources to the Middle East in the coming days, potentially including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group.
This action is seen as a standard precautionary measure during periods of increased tension, particularly with 30,000 troops stationed across the region in nations such as Qatar, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq.
Satellite images captured the USS Lincoln yesterday heading away from the Philippines.@tom_bike/European Space Agency
The increased military presence would act as a deterrent against potential attacks on U.S. installations. Furthermore, it would provide President Donald Trump with more options to take action against Iran if he decides to do so.
President Donald Trump addresses the media prior to boarding Marine One as he departs the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, January 16, 2026.Nathan Howard/Reuters
Examples of resources that might be deployed include an aircraft carrier strike group supported by cruisers and missile destroyers, along with Air Force fighter squadrons and land-based air missile defense systems.
The consideration of additional military resources follows Trump’s warning of potential strikes against the Iranian government due to violent confrontations with protesters. Tehran officials responded by threatening retaliation against U.S. bases should he proceed.
Citizens in Iran participate in an anti-government protest in Tehran on January 9, 2026.UGC via AP
According to one individual familiar with this week’s discussions, Trump was cautioned that a military intervention against Iran could be exceedingly perilous and might jeopardize the safety of U.S. service members in the area, especially if the Tehran government perceived itself to be on the verge of collapse. NBC News was the first to report this information.
President Donald Trump responds to inquiries from journalists in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, January 14, 2026.Francis Chung/EPA/Shutterstock
On Wednesday, Trump informed reporters that he had decided against military strikes for the time being, citing credible information that the killings of protesters in Iran had ceased. He also mentioned on Friday that 800 intended executions in Iran had been put on hold, a statement that could not be immediately confirmed.
During an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denied that Tehran had any plans to execute protesters.
Multiple sources indicated that there have been ongoing concerns among U.S. officials regarding the military’s lack of the appropriate assets to defend against a potential large-scale retaliatory strike from Iran, especially since Trump had redirected much of the military’s force to the Caribbean for the purpose of apprehending Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.
Harbor tug boats assist the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln as it approaches Naval Base Guam on December 11, 2025.Valerie Lynn Maigue/U.S. Navy
Sourse: abcnews.go.com