White House AI czar says US should 'declare victory and get out' of Iran war

White House AI adviser David Sacks said the United States should consider declaring victory and seeking an exit from the conflict with Iran, urging de-escalation and a possible ceasefire. His remarks come as the war involving the United States and Israel against Iran continues to rattle global markets and raise oil prices.

Kanishka Singh/Reuters

March 14, 2026

White House AI czar says US should 'declare victory and get out' of Iran war

A U.S. flag is seen through a car windshield at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 13, 2026.

Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters

White House AI czar David Sacks said on Friday the U.S. should "declare victory and get out" of its war on Iran, a rare instance of a prominent figure in Donald Trump's administration calling for an exit from the Iran conflict.

Here are some details:

"This is a good time to declare victory and get out," Sacks, Trump's crypto and AI czar, said in an appearance on the "All-In Podcast."

Sacks said the U.S. had degraded Iran's military capabilities.

"I agree that we should try to find the off-ramp," he added.

"If escalation doesn't lead anywhere good, then you have to think about, well, how do you de-escalate? De-escalation, I think, involves reaching some sort of ceasefire agreement or some sort of negotiated settlement with Iran," he said.

The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Iran and its ally in Lebanon, Hezbollah, have responded with strikes on Israel and other countries in the Middle East.

The war has shaken global markets and raised oil prices.

Iran's U.N. ambassador says over 1,300 people have been killed in Iran in U.S. and Israeli attacks. Israel says 12 people have been killed in Israel by Iranian attacks. The U.S. military says seven of its members have been killed.

-Kanishka Singh/Reuters