President Trump defended U.S. military strikes on Iran this week, telling reporters that Iran "was going to attack first" and that the threat had become "untenable." The strikes were conducted jointly with Israel over the weekend, marking a significant escalation in Middle East tensions.

Trump's justification for the military action has drawn scrutiny as administration officials have provided varying explanations. While the president insisted Israel did not pressure the U.S. into action, Secretary of State Marco Rubio separately told reporters the strikes were based on Israel's pre-planned operations against Iran. When asked directly, Trump told ABC News that Iran was "going to attack if we didn't do it."

The administration appears to be preparing for expanded military operations. Trump officials briefed Congress that Iran would face "overwhelming" firepower in coming days, with the president stating that "just about everything's been knocked out" in reference to Iranian targets. Despite the strikes, Iran has continued launching drone attacks in response.

Concerns are mounting over weapons supply as the conflict intensifies. The Trump administration is reportedly considering ordering U.S. manufacturers to increase munitions production to support ongoing operations in the Middle East. Intelligence sources suggest the administration is also exploring support for Iranian militia groups and Kurdish forces as part of efforts to destabilize the current Iranian government.

Trump indicated his preferred outcome would be "somebody from within" taking control of Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling a replacement leader "as bad as" Khamenei the "worst case" scenario. Congressional divisions over war powers may give the president significant latitude to continue military operations, with partisan disagreements hampering efforts to limit executive action through War Powers Act resolutions.