TRUMP INSISTS ISRAEL DID NOT FORCE US HAND ON IRAN ATTACK AS HE MEETS GERMAN CHANCELLOR.
By Guardian - Shrai Popat/Kirsty McEwen/Tom Ambrose-Tue 3 Mar 2026 20.01 GMT
The president insisted that Israel did not pressure the US to launch the initial strikes against Iran over the weekend.Trump insists Israel did not force US hand on Iran attack. US president appears to contradict Marco Rubio remarks that Israel planned to strike Iran first, claiming ‘If anything, I might have forced Israel’s hand’.
“I think they were going to attack first, and I didn’t want that to happen. So, if anything, I might have forced Israel’s hand,” Donald Trump said while speaking to reporters. “We were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they [Iran] were going to attack first.”
The president noted that the strikes have had a “very powerful impact because virtually everything they have has been knocked out”, but expressed his surprise that the Iranian regime was launching strikes against many of its neighbours in the Middle East. “Now those countries are all fighting against them and fighting strongly against them,” Trump added.
His comments appear to contradict Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, who said on Monday that the US attacked Iran after Israel was planning to strike first.
ShareUpdated at 17.24 GMT6m ago20.01 GMT
Thune noted today that he believes the US has the “resources necessary to conduct the operations that they are that are under way right now”, when asked about the possible need for Congress to confer funds to bolster Operation Epic Fury.
This comes as Donald Trump said earlier that the US ammunition stockpiles have “never been higher or better”, meaning that wars could be fought “forever”.
The Senate majority leader also said that Iran’s counterattacks, which have hit several neighboring Arab countries, have forced several allies to show their military capabilities.
Top GOP senator says that Trump will not need congressional approval for military action against Iran
On Capitol Hill today, Senate majority leader John Thune said that the president would not need to authorization from Congress if the onoging military action against Iran exceeds 60 days and risks violating the war powers resolution.
“I think the president was perfectly within his rights to take the steps that he took,” Thune said ahead of a briefing by top administration officials on the US-Israel war on Iran.
The top Republican emphasized that the Trump administration did brief the Gang of Eight – which includes House and Senate leadership from both parties, as well as top intelligence committee lawmakers from both chambers.
“They did inform us. They met with us last week,” Thune said. “I was notified the day that the actual operations got under way.”
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