Trump Claims U.S. Supported Israel’s Iran Strikes, Says 'We Gave Them 60 Days'

In spite of longstanding attempts to persuade Israel against opening a military campaign against Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump has now conceded that he and his government were well aware of the intended airstrikes — and still hold that a diplomatic settlement with Tehran is still within grasp.

Telling Reuters in a telephone interview on Friday that his administration had foreseen the actions of Israel and had tried to prevent the attacks, even as he proceeded to praise them, calling the strikes "excellent" and "very successful.

We knew everything, and I attempted to save Iran from humiliation and death," Trump said. "I attempted to save them very hard because I would have loved to have seen an agreement made… They can still make a deal, but it's not too late.

Trump's recent statements represent a significant change — from his initial calls for restraint and pursuit of diplomacy — to support for Israel's military actions after the fact. The president previously advised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to wait, expecting that negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear aspirations would succeed. Concurrently, Trump openly threatened military action in the event that diplomacy did not work.

Earlier this week, the Israeli military launched a series of airstrikes targeting the dismembering of central pillars of Iran's military infrastructure — its nuclear facilities, its missile factories, and top brass. Iran has since vowed to retaliate, sparking fears of a broader conflict in the region.

Still, Trump appeared undeterred. When questioned about how the U.S. might respond if Iran retaliates, he said, “We’ve been very close to Israel. We’re their number one ally by far… We’ll see what happens.”

Later that day, two American officials informed Reuters that U.S. military assets had helped intercept Iranian missiles targeting Israeli territory — a clear demonstration of Washington’s ongoing support for its closest Middle East ally.

Diplomacy in Limbo

In midst of increased tensions, the path of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran is uncertain. A sixth round of negotiations had been planned for Sunday in Oman, but the chances of that conference now appear doubtful.

Trump clarified that Iran had been offered a 60-day window to come to an agreement — a time frame that has passed without an agreement.

"We knew just about everything," he told us. "We knew enough that we offered Iran 60 days to make a deal and today is 61, right? So, you know, we knew everything."

The core sticking point in the negotiations is Iran's uranium enrichment program, which the U.S. demands be shut down. Tehran has pushed back against those conditions, making any potential breakthrough more difficult.

Only one day prior to the Israeli attacks, Trump suggested that an attack was imminent.

"I don't want to say it's imminent, but it appears to be something that might very well occur," he said in a press conference on Thursday.
"Look, it's very straightforward, not complicated. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,".

Now, Trump is not sure what the status of Iran's nuclear capabilities is after the Israeli attack. "Nobody knows. It was a very devastating hit," he said.

Hopes for Dialogue Persist

Even with the increased confrontation, Trump assured that a scheduled diplomatic meeting between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian officials still stands, at least officially, on Sunday in Oman.

"They're not dead," he said of the talks. "We have a meeting with them on Sunday. Now, I don't know if that meeting is going to happen, but we do have a meeting with them on Sunday."

The president also revealed that he held a top-level security meeting at Camp David earlier in the week to talk about the situation with Iran. He spoke to Netanyahu twice — Monday and Friday. Trump also brought his National Security Council into the Situation Room for further briefings after Israel's strikes, although no details were released, reported a White House spokesperson.