President Donald Trump recalled on Tuesday that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was "the first one to speak up" in favour of military action during discussions before the United States joined Israeli strikes on Iran.
Speaking at a roundtable, Trump described how he consulted senior military officials, including Hegseth and the chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, before taking the decision. He said he had told them, "Let's talk. We got a problem in the Middle East," as he weighed options on how to respond to Iran.
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Trump said Iran had been “just a purveyor of terror” for decades and claimed it was “very close to having a nuclear weapon.” He said the choice before him was either to let the situation continue or “take a stop and make a little journey into the Middle East and eliminate a big problem.”
Recalling the exchange, he said: “Pete, I think you were the first one to speak up and you said let's do it because you can't let them have a nuclear weapon.” He added that the discussion shaped his decision to proceed.
The United States subsequently joined Israel in carrying out strikes on Iranian targets, marking an escalation in the ongoing conflict in West Asia. The strikes were aimed at sites linked to Iran's military and nuclear programme.
Trump also said he had extended a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and would delay potential strikes on Iranian energy facilities for five days. He said there had been “productive conversations” aimed at a “complete and total resolution” of the conflict, without giving details.
Iran denied the claim, calling it “fake news” and stating that no talks had taken place with the United States. It has maintained that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.
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