Donald Trump is searching for an exit strategy from his increasingly unpopular war with Iran, but Saudi Arabia's de facto leader is pushing hard in the opposite direction " pressuring the president to view the conflict as an opportunity to reshape the entire Middle East. According to the New York Times, controversial Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been aggressively urging Trump to intensify the war against Iran, according to people briefed by American officials on the private conversations. In discussions over the past week, Prince Mohammed has told Trump that he must accelerate efforts toward dismantling Iran's hard-line government, according to those familiar with the talks.