On Saturday evening (June 22), US President Trump (formerly known as Trump) suddenly announced that the US military had successfully carried out strikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran, shocking the world. This was an absolutely secretive military operation, and the timing of when the President issued the final strike order has been closely watched.
During a press conference at the Pentagon on Sunday, a reporter asked whether there was a specific moment when the President made the final decision to take military action. Defense Secretary Hagess did not provide a specific time, but he said, “There was definitely such a moment. At that moment, he (Trump) realized that some action had to be taken to minimize the threat to us and our troops.”
The Defense Secretary also said that this operation gave him the opportunity to witness the President’s leadership. He mentioned that Trump “hoped, very much hoped to achieve results through negotiation, giving Iran every opportunity,” giving them enough time to return to the negotiating table, abandon uranium enrichment, and discard their nuclear plans. Unfortunately, Iran repeatedly refused to cooperate.
The exact timing of when Trump ordered Hagess to strike Iran continues to spark speculation.
A White House official confirmed to Fox News that President Trump issued the final order for a military strike against Iran to Defense Secretary Hagess on Saturday.
“In the week leading up to the military strike, the President mainly conducted diplomatic activities through the efforts of special envoy Whitkov, while the Pentagon was also preparing for this operation,” the official said. “When the President decided whether to proceed with the action, he received daily briefings on the efforts of Israel and the action itself.”
According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump issued the final strike order at his private club in New Jersey on Saturday. A senior government official, when discussing the timing of the President’s order, said, “Our goal was to create a situation that no one expected.”
CNN and The New York Post also reported that Trump issued orders for airstrikes on Saturday.
However, according to information provided by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine during a press conference on Sunday, in the late hours of Friday into early Saturday Eastern Time, B-2 bombers took off from the US. One group flew westward towards the Pacific region as bait, while the other group, the main strike force, “remained with minimal communication during the 18-hour flight, flying quietly eastward” to carry out the strike against Iran. This indicates that Trump should have given the strike order before the B-2 bombers headed to the Middle East.
This was an absolutely confidential military strike operation. Hagess stated that after US aircraft attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities and safely left Iranian airspace, Congress was immediately notified of the operation. “We complied with the requirements for notification under the War Powers Act,” he said.
However, sources revealed to Reuters that House Speaker Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Tuen were informed in advance of the US military operation.
On Sunday, some lawmakers urged Congress to restrict President Trump’s use of military force against Iran and prevent the US from being dragged into the deepening conflicts in the Middle East.
Since both Republican leaders in the House and Senate strongly support the US attacks on vital Iranian nuclear facilities, any resolution to limit Trump’s military actions seems unlikely to gain approval in both chambers.