The White House released images of President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and key national security officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and others, gathered in the Situation Room during the U.S. military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. The coordinated attacks targeted Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan—sites long associated with Iran’s nuclear enrichment efforts. In a televised address, Trump declared the mission a “spectacular military success,” stating that the primary objective was to dismantle Iran’s nuclear capabilities and curb the threat from what he called the “world’s number one state sponsor of terror.” He emphasized Iran’s history of violence against the U.S. and Israel, calling for peace while warning of stronger future responses if provoked again.
The strikes followed Trump’s earlier statement via Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, which suggested a decision on Iran would come in two weeks—a move now viewed as deliberate misdirection. Trump had previously pushed for diplomatic negotiations, but Iran’s withdrawal from scheduled talks and Israel’s preemptive actions on June 12 prompted a shift in U.S. strategy. Trump praised the military for its execution and extended special recognition to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli military for their cooperation. He concluded by hailing the unity and strength of the U.S. and Israeli forces, claiming the operation had significantly reduced the nuclear threat in the region.
