Washington, United States – Web Desk: U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have offered differing explanations for Washington’s decision to join Israel’s military campaign against Iran, exposing apparent inconsistencies within the administration over the origins of the conflict.
Speaking at the White House on Tuesday alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump said he ordered U.S. forces to participate because he believed Iran was preparing to strike first. He rejected suggestions that Israel had pushed the United States into the war.
“I felt strongly that if we didn’t act, they were going to attack first,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, adding that Washington had been engaged in negotiations before deciding to launch military action.
However, a day earlier, Rubio said the United States acted out of concern that Iran would retaliate against American forces following a planned Israeli strike on Tehran. Rubio described the move as preemptive, aimed at preventing higher U.S. casualties.
Iran has described the U.S. attack as unprovoked, escalating tensions in an already volatile Middle East conflict involving Israel and Tehran.
The conflicting narratives have drawn criticism from both Democrats and prominent conservative commentators. Podcaster Matt Walsh argued that Rubio’s remarks suggested Israel had influenced Washington’s decision-making, while media personality Megyn Kelly questioned whether the conflict aligned with U.S. national interests.
The controversy comes as Trump’s Republican Party faces a closely contested battle to retain control of Congress in the upcoming U.S. midterm elections, with foreign policy decisions under heightened scrutiny.
