Who is Admiral Brad Cooper, what was his advice due to which Trump stopped the attack on Iran

By Samira Vishwas On Jul 27, 2026

The war between America and Iran is not completely over yet. Recently, US President Donald Trump had said that this time he will launch the biggest attack on Iran, but shortly after his statement, Trump changed his stance and also stopped the attacks on Iran. Now the reason behind Trump’s decision is being said to be the important role of Admiral Brad Cooper, head of the US Central Command (CENTCOM).

According to a report by Axios, Admiral Brad Cooper, in a military briefing given to the President, advised to stop the ongoing bombing campaign around Hormuz. His assessment was that the campaign had reached the limits of its effectiveness. It is believed that this assessment played the role of one of the major reasons influencing Trump’s final decision.

What was Trump’s statement earlier?

While talking to journalists on July 23, Donald Trump took a tough stance regarding Iran. He said Tehran had not yet received enough pain and indicated the US was considering a bigger military strike than ever before. He said, “I am considering a big attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to taking a decision. We are fully prepared for it.” After this, America continued bombing Iran’s military bases for the 13th consecutive night.

Then why did the decision change suddenly?

According to the report, the Pentagon had also prepared a plan for military attacks for the 14th night, but the very next day President Trump decided to stop the operation. Axios, quoting two sources, reported that Admiral Brad Cooper had advised the President that the ongoing military operation around Hormuz had reached the limits of its strategic objective and that it would not be beneficial to extend it further. According to sources, this advice was among the many factors that influenced Trump’s final decision.

🇺🇸According to Axios, US CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper recommended halting the bombing campaign around the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that it had reached the limit of its effectiveness.The outlet reports that Cooper’s assessment influenced President Donald Trump’s decision… pic.twitter.com/B4sO8Tmipy
— Report News Agency (@reportaznews) July 27, 2026

Who is Admiral Brad Cooper?

Admiral Brad Cooper was born on 12 August 1967 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA. His family has been associated with military service for a long time. Both his father and grandfather have served in the US Army. Brad Cooper is currently counted among the most senior officers of the US Navy and is the Commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) from August 2025.

Admiral Cooper graduated from the US Naval Academy. After this he obtained a master’s degree in Strategic Intelligence from National Intelligence University. He also studied international relations at Harvard University and Tufts University, which gave him a deep understanding of strategic and global security matters.

Which war campaigns were you a part of?

1. Gulf War

2. Iraq War

3. Yugoslavian Wars

4. Afghanistan War

What is the responsibility as CENTCOM chief?

As Commander of CENTCOM, Admiral Brad Cooper oversees US military operations, strategy and security operations in the Middle East. Before this, he had also been the commander of the US Fifth Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces deployed in Bahrain.