June 13, 2025

President Donald Trump spent the bulk of this week saying he hoped Israel wouldn’t strike Iran. But by Friday, he was all in.

The president had hoped for more time to negotiate with Tehran over its nuclear program, but once Israel launched the massive attack, Trump embraced the new dynamic, using it as leverage to try to seal the deal he wanted all along.

“He didn’t want them to go now,” a senior administration official said about Israel. “He understands they’re a sovereign nation, and he will support them because they’re our ally,” added the official, who was granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive situation, “but he wanted more time.”

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