Bulwark Takes Breaking: Trump APPROVED US Attack Plan On Iran
Jun 18, 2025
National security reporter Alex Ward from The Wall Street Journal joins Sam Stein to discuss the revelation that Donald Trump greenlighted plans for a military strike on Iran but hesitated to give the final order. They analyze the strategic implications of Trump's public statements and how they function as negotiation tools. The conversation also touches on the internal divisions within the government regarding military action and the challenging balance between diplomacy and military engagement in a volatile geopolitical arena.
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Trump's Conditional Iran Attack Approval
- Donald Trump privately approved plans to attack Iran but has not given a final order yet.
- He is keeping military options ready while weighing a diplomatic solution.
Trump's Nuclear Demands for Iran
- Trump demands Iran entirely abandon its nuclear program, especially uranium enrichment.
- He shows little tolerance for partial deals, pushing for no enrichment at all.
Top-Down Decision Making on Iran
- There is a split in the MAGA and Republican coalition on attacking Iran.
- The Trump administration operates top-down, with little formal policy debate beneath the president.