US President Donald Trump seemed to inadvertently give the green light to an Iranian attack on a US military base in Qatar. On Wednesday, during a press conference before departing from a NATO summit, Trump said that Iran had warned him they would “shoot ’em” at 1 pm and he replied, “It’s fine.” This casual tone was at odds with the message of professionalism and heroism offered by Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.
Caine described the attack as the largest single use of the Patriot air defense system in US history, citing complex decisions made by US air defenders to prevent damage. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also praised the troops, saying their safety was his top priority.
However, there is confusion over Trump’s remarks, with many officials within the Pentagon struggling to explain why he seemed to give permission for the attack. Some have suggested that the Iranians were always going to look for a way to respond proportionately to US strikes on their nuclear sites. The full extent of damage to Iran’s nuclear program remains unclear, with lawmakers telling reporters it was still too early to know.
The White House declined to comment on Friday.
Source: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/06/27/trump-said-he-okd-irans-plan-strike-al-udeid-his-top-military-adviser-said-troops-there-fended-off.html