WASHINGTON (VINnews) — President Trump responded Tuesday to reports suggesting Israel’s planned strike on Iran influenced the United States’ decision to launch its own military action.

Republican officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and House Speaker Mike Johnson, told lawmakers that Israel was poised to strike Iran “with or without” U.S. support, raising questions about whether the U.S. was being drawn into the conflict.

Trump pushed back on the suggestion that Israel forced U.S. action. “No. No, I might have forced their hand. You see, we were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first. They were going to attack,” he said, emphasizing that the strikes were a preemptive measure to protect American forces and interests.

Democrats criticized the strikes and called for a war powers vote, while Republicans defended the timing as necessary to prevent Iranian retaliation following Israel’s planned operation.

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