Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Saturday he believes President Donald Trump is “on the cusp” of significantly escalating military action against Iran.

In an interview with Fox News, Esper — who served as Pentagon chief during Trump’s first term — suggested the lack of strikes on a given night could be a deliberate pause for U.S. forces to “reposition, prepare, reload” for a much larger operation. “This may be a 24- or 48-hour respite,” he said.

Esper praised the ongoing U.S. blockade in the region and urged expanding it to cover every entry and exit point — by air, sea, or ground — to starve the Iranian regime of revenue. “I’m a big believer in the blockade in terms of cutting off all sources of revenue,” he told host Mike Emanuel. “Because if they don’t have revenue, then they can’t rebuild their military. They can’t pursue their nuclear ambitions. They can’t support their proxies.”

The former Pentagon chief noted that while Trump is keeping diplomacy on the table, the credible threat of major force appears aimed at forcing Iran back to serious negotiations.

Esper’s comments come as the U.S. has conducted repeated strikes on Iranian military targets and maintained pressure on the regime for its attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has repeatedly warned that Iran faces severe consequences if it continues its aggression or moves closer to a nuclear weapon.

The assessment from a former top Trump official underscores the seriousness of the current situation. With the Iranian regime threatening regional stability and global energy markets, a decisive show of American strength may be necessary to restore deterrence and protect U.S. interests. 

President Trump has consistently demonstrated he prefers peace through strength — and the window for Iran to choose the diplomatic path may be closing rapidly.