US President Donald Trump has drawn attention for describing the decision to confront Iran largely in terms of instinct and personal judgment, as the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran continues to intensify.
Speaking to reporters during the first week of the war, Trump appeared to emphasise intuition over detailed public explanations, with the White House acknowledging that the president acted on what it described as a “feeling” about the threat posed by Iran.
In remarks to journalists, Trump also defended the military campaign and praised the performance of US forces involved in the strikes. At one point, he asked reporters, “How do you like the performance?” while discussing the ongoing operation.
The comments come amid a rapidly escalating conflict in which US and Israeli forces have launched extensive airstrikes on Iranian targets, prompting retaliatory missile and drone attacks by Tehran across the region. The confrontation has become one of the most serious military crises involving Iran in decades.
Trump has taken a hardline stance toward Tehran, declaring that no agreement with Iran would be possible without “unconditional surrender.”
Officials in Washington say the campaign aims to significantly weaken Iran’s military infrastructure, including its missile program and regional proxy networks. While the administration has not outlined a detailed timeline for the operation, the president has indicated that military pressure will continue until US objectives are achieved.
The conflict has raised concerns globally over the risk of a wider regional war, disruptions to energy supplies, and rising civilian casualties as hostilities continue across multiple fronts.
International observers and humanitarian groups have urged restraint and called for diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation as the situation remains volatile.