Why did President Trump call off the military attack on Iranian targets Thursday night, after maneuvering planes and ships into position in retaliation for a downing of a US drone in international waters?

Senior administration officials at the White House said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Advisor John Bolton and CIA Director Gina Haspel had favored a military response.

However the President may have tipped his hand earlier in the day when he said during a press conference with Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that it was possible a ‘rogue’ general had authorized the drone take-down, and that the whole incident might be some kind of mistake.

It appears that Trump was not going to lured into an escalation in tensions between the two nations over an operation that may have been led by forces outside of Iran.

The President had no comment on his decision by early Friday morning and the operation is presumably still an option should facts change.