Israeli strikes on Iran lead to new test of Trump's ability to deliver on 'America first' agenda
WASHINGTON — Just hours before Israel launched strikes on Iran early Friday, President Donald Trump was still holding onto tattered threads of hope that a long-simmering dispute over Tehran's nuclear program could be resolved without military action.
But with the Israeli military operation called 'Rising Lion' now underway — something Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says will go on for 'as many days as it takes' — Trump will be tested anew on his ability to make good on a campaign promise to disentangle the U.S. from foreign conflicts.
The administration's immediate reaction to the Israeli assault came not from Trump, but from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is doubling as Trump's national security adviser. He made clear that the U.S. was 'not involved' and that the administration's central concern was protecting U.S. forces in the region.
'Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense,' Rubio said in a statement. 'President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.'
As Israel stepped up planning for strikes in recent weeks, however, Iran, had signaled that the United States would be held responsible in the event of an Israeli attack. The warning was issued by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi even as he engaged in talks with Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program.
On Thursday, just hours before the strikes, Trump made the case that there was still time for diplomacy — but it was running out. The White House had even planned to dispatch Witkoff to Oman on Sunday for the next round of talks with Araghchi. It wasn't immediately clear how the strikes would affect plans for those discussions.
Trump is set to meet with his National Security Council in the Situation Room on Friday to discuss the tricky path ahead.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., offered rare words of Democratic praise for the Trump administration after the attack 'for prioritizing diplomacy' and 'refraining from participating in tonight's actions.' But he also expressed deep concern about what the Israeli strikes could mean for U.S. personnel in the region.
Iranian officials made clear that they intended to retaliate with decisive action after the Israeli strikes targeted Iran's main enrichment facility in Natanz and the country's ballistic missile program, as well as top nuclear scientists and officials.
'I cannot understand why Israel would launch a preemptive strike at this juncture, knowing high level diplomatic discussions between the United States and Iran are scheduled for this weekend,' Kaine said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said the U.S. Senate 'stands ready to work with President Trump and with our allies in Israel to restore peace in the region and, first and foremost, to defend the American people from Iranian aggression, especially our troops and civilians serving overseas.'
Trump in the hours before the attack still appeared hopeful that there would be more time for diplomacy.
The president, in an exchange with reporters, again urged Iran to negotiate a deal. He warned that a 'massive conflict' could occur in the Middle East without it.
He later took to social media to emphasize that his 'entire Administration has been directed to negotiate with Iran.'
As long as there was a chance for an agreement, Trump said of Israel, 'I don't want them going in because I think it would blow it.'
But it was clear to the administration that Israel was edging toward taking military action against Iran. The State Department on Wednesday directed a voluntary evacuation of nonessential personnel and their families from some U.S. diplomatic outposts in the Middle East.
'I don't want to be the one that didn't give any warning, and missiles are flying into their buildings. It's possible. So I had to do it,' Trump explained.
Before Israel launched the strikes, some of Trump's strongest supporters were raising concerns about what another expansive conflict in the Mideast could mean for the Republican president who ran on a promise to quickly end the brutal wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
Trump has struggled to find an endgame to either of those conflicts and to make good on two of his biggest foreign policy campaign promises.
And after criticizing President Joe Biden during last year's campaign for preventing Israel from carrying out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Trump found himself making the case to the Israelis to give diplomacy a chance.
The push by the Trump administration to persuade Tehran to give up its nuclear program came after the U.S. and other world powers in 2015 reached a long-term, comprehensive nuclear agreement that limited Tehran's enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
But Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from the Obama-administration brokered agreement in 2018, calling it the 'worst deal ever.'
The way forward is even more clouded now.
'No issue currently divides the right as much as foreign policy,' Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA and an ally of the Trump White House, posted on X Thursday. 'I'm very concerned based on (everything) I've seen in the grassroots the last few months that this will cause a massive schism in MAGA and potentially disrupt our momentum and our insanely successful Presidency.'
Jack Posobiec, another prominent Trump supporter, warned a 'direct strike on Iran right now would disastrously split the Trump coalition.'
'Trump smartly ran against starting new wars, this is what the swing states voted for — the midterms are not far and Congress' majority is already razor-thin,' Posobiec added in a posting on X.
Rosemary Kelanic, director of the Middle East program at Defense Priorities, said the job ahead for Trump and his team is to protect U.S. forces who are highly vulnerable to Iranian retaliation.
'Israel's strike on Iran must not become the United States' war,' Kelanic said. 'The U.S. public overwhelmingly opposes another military engagement in the Middle East for good reason — an open-ended military campaign in Iran would risk repeating the catastrophic mistakes of the 2003 war in Iraq, which inadvertently strengthened Tehran's influence there.'
___
AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed reporting.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
17 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Marines temporarily detain man while guarding LA federal building
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shortly after they began guarding a Los Angeles federal building Friday, U.S. Marines detained a man who had walked onto the property and did not immediately hear their commands to stop. The brief detention marked the first time federal troops have detained a civilian since they were deployed to the nation's second-largest city by President Donald Trump in response to protests over the administration's immigration arrests. The Marines were activated earlier this week but began their duties Friday. The man, Marcos Leao, was later released without charges and said the Marines were just doing their jobs. A U.S. Army North spokesperson said the troops have the authority to temporarily detain people under specific circumstances. He said those detentions end when the person can be transferred to 'appropriate civilian law enforcement personnel.' Leao's detention shows how the troops' deployment is putting them closer to carrying out law enforcement actions. Already, National Guard soldiers have been providing security on raids as Trump has promised as part of his immigration crackdown . Leao, a former Army combat engineer, said he was rushing to get to a Veterans Affairs appointment when he stepped past a piece of caution tape outside the federal building. He looked up to find a Marine sprinting toward him. 'I had my headphones in, so I didn't hear them,' Leao said. 'They told me to get down on the ground. I basically complied with everything they were saying.' Leao was placed in zip ties and held for more than two hours by the Marines and members of the National Guard, he said. After Los Angeles police arrived, he was released without charges, he said. The Los Angeles Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 'I didn't know it was going to be this intense here,' he said later. A U.S. official told the AP that a civilian had stepped over the line. He was warned they would take him down and they did, according to the official, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter. About 200 Marines out of the 700 deployed arrived in the city Friday, joining 2,000 members of the National Guard that have been stationed outside federal buildings this week in Los Angeles. Another 2,000 Guard members were notified of deployment earlier this week. Before the unusual deployment, the Pentagon scrambled to establish rules to guide U.S. Marines who could be faced with the rare and difficult prospect of using force against citizens on American soil. The forces have been trained in de-escalation, crowd control and standing rules for the use of force, the military has said. But the use of the active-duty forces still raises difficult questions. 'I believe that this is an inevitable precursor of things yet to come when you put troops with guns right next to civilians who are doing whatever they do,' said Gary Solis, a former Marine Corps. prosecutor and military judge. He said it's an example of Trump's attempt to unravel the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars active-duty forces from conducting law enforcement. ___ Watson reported from San Diego and Baldor from Washington. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Washington Post
18 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Marines temporarily detain man while guarding LA federal building
LOS ANGELES — Shortly after they began guarding a Los Angeles federal building Friday, U.S. Marines detained a man who had walked onto the property and did not immediately hear their commands to stop. The brief detention marked the first time federal troops have detained a civilian since they were deployed to the nation's second-largest city by President Donald Trump in response to protests over the administration's immigration arrests. The Marines were activated earlier this week but began their duties Friday.
CNN
19 minutes ago
- CNN
How Mossad pulled off the strikes in Iran
How Mossad pulled off the strikes in Iran Rare footage released by Israeli spy agency Mossad unveils the sophisticated intelligence operation behind Israel's recent unprecedented attack on Iran. CNN Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Matthew Chance takes a look into this significant breakthrough as well as what sort of retaliation could be in store. 01:02 - Source: CNN Iranians question nuclear talks with US after Israeli attack Crowds of demonstrators rallied in Tehran calling for retaliation after Israeli strikes on Iran and questioning whether the country should continue negotiations with the United States over a potential nuclear deal. 00:49 - Source: CNN Amanpour breaks down Israeli strikes on Iran Israel has launched unprecedented strikes on Iran, targeting its nuclear program and assassinating top military leaders in an attack that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said will last many days. The operation, codenamed 'Operation Rising Lion,' hit Iran's main enrichment facility in Natanz, as well as targeting Iranian nuclear scientists and military leaders. 02:34 - Source: CNN Analysis: How might Iran respond to Israeli attack? Overnight Israel struck several locations in Iran, including the capital Tehran and the country's nuclear sites. Israel says 200 fighter jets were involved in the attack that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said will last many days. With Iran's defenses weakened in Israel's October attack, and several military leaders killed, its response to last night's strike may be limited. CNN's chief security correspondent Nick Paton Walsh gives his analysis. 01:30 - Source: CNN Top Iranian commander killed in Israeli strikes Iran's revolutionary guard has confirmed the death General Hossein Salami, one of the country's most powerful and influential military commanders, in Israel's strikes. The IRGC said its command structure and other branches of the military were 'fully prepared to deliver a decisive and harsh response.' CNN senior international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen reports. 01:40 - Source: CNN Analysis: Why Israel attacked Iran now CNN's Oren Liebermann explains the reasons why Israel decided to attack Iran in unprecedented strikes targeting its nuclear program and senior military leaders. 01:49 - Source: CNN Israel launches 'preemptive strike' on Iran Israel launched strikes against Iran, targeting its nuclear program and long-range missile capabilities, an Israeli military official said. CNN's Kaitlan Collins reports. 01:38 - Source: CNN Survivor of India plane crash appears to walk away from site in video Video appears to show the sole survivor of a 242 passenger plane crash walking away from the rubble. 00:27 - Source: CNN Expert examines CCTV footage to see what happened to Air India flight before crash Newly released CCTV footage shows Air India Flight 171 take off before crashing moments later. CNN aviation analyst Miles O'Brien offers his analysis. 00:56 - Source: CNN Passenger survives Air India plane crash At least one passenger on board Air India Flight 171 to London Gatwick survived, local police said. According to Reuters, senior police officer Vidhi Chaudhary said the man had been in seat 11A and added that there may be a few more survivors in the hospital. 00:19 - Source: CNN Video shows moment plane crashes in India Social media video shows flames and thick smoke billowing into the air, as an Air India passenger plane, carrying 242 people, crashed shortly after takeoff. The plane had departed an airport in Ahmedabad, India and was bound for London's Gatwick Airport. 00:20 - Source: CNN Canada tightens border security The US-Canada border is now the focus of heightened patrols and billion-dollar upgrades. CNN's Paula Newton reports on Canada's security shift. 00:31 - Source: CNN Violence enters third day in Northern Ireland Unrest has spread to more towns in Northern Ireland after violence initially started in Ballymena. The third night of disturbances saw a leisure center, that had been recently used to shelter immigrants, set ablaze by masked youths. 00:45 - Source: CNN China's 'trump' card in the US trade war The US and China have agreed on a plan to roll out their trade truce after days of negotiations in London. CNN's Phil Mattingly explained what brought both sides to the table, and where the relationship goes from here. 02:00 - Source: CNN Rare deep-sea squid filmed alive for first time Scientists have captured the first-ever footage of the elusive Gonatus antarcticus squid alive in its deep-sea habitat. CNN's Jeremy Roth describes the rare encounter. For more on this story, visit 01:12 - Source: CNN Analysis: Is Netanyahu's government under threat? Among an ongoing corruption trial, protests against his leadership and an upcoming vote to dissolve the government, CNN's Oren Liebermann looks at the growing pressure on Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 01:59 - Source: CNN Austrian mayor of city hit by school shooting speaks to CNN Austria is reeling from one of the worst rampages in the country's history after a gunman opened fire at a high school in the city of Graz, killing 10 people, including teenagers. Elke Kahr, mayor of Graz, spoke to CNN's Frederik Pleitgen during a candlelight vigil as the city reflects on the rare tragedy. 01:15 - Source: CNN BTS members discharged from South Korean military One of the world's biggest boybands could soon be making a comeback with six out of seven members of K-Pop supergroup BTS now discharged from South Korea's mandatory military service. The band plans to reunite at some point later this year. 00:47 - Source: CNN Mexican flags at LA protests spark heated debate Mexico's flag has become a defining symbol of the protests in Los Angeles, sparking a heated debate amongst the Latino community about whether or not it's disrespectful. CNN's Rafael Romo breaks down the debate and what the it means to be Mexican-American right now. 01:53 - Source: CNN Hear Mexico president's response to LA protests Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she does not agree with the violent immigration protests in Los Angeles and urged Mexicans in California to 'not fall into provocations.' The president emphasized that Mexicans in the US 'are good men and women.' 00:36 - Source: CNN Austria hit by rare school shooting A gunman in Austria opened fire on a school in the southern city of Graz, killing himself and at least nine others. The death toll includes teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18, the Austrian interior ministry said. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reports. 01:05 - Source: CNN Ukrainian boxer to Trump: 'Open your eyes' World heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk shared a message for President Trump in an interview with CNN, asking him to help Ukraine as it continues its fight against a full-scale Russian invasion. 00:54 - Source: CNN Israeli military intercepts Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla Israel has intercepted a Gaza-bound aid ship carrying Greta Thunberg and other prominent activists, detaining those onboard, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), with Israel's foreign ministry saying activists have been taken to Israel 01:23 - Source: CNN
