Why is the U.S. at war with Iran? Here's what the Trump administration says.

"If we didn't do that, they would have had a nuclear weapon within two weeks. And then all of this would not have been possible." - Trump, Fox News interview, March 1. This statement reflects the administration's nuclear weapons prevention rationale for the operation."

"The Trump administration hasn't presented a formal case for war, as the George W. Bush administration did before the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Instead, President Donald Trump and top administration officials have offered a range of rationales for launching Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S.-Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic."

"Those rationales have included "imminent threats" to the United States; preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and/or missiles capable of reaching the United States; freeing the Iranian people; regime change; potential Iranian retaliation for an Israeli attack; alleged Iranian attempts to interfere with U.S. elections; alleged Iranian attempts to assassinate Trump; and regional and global peace."

The United States launched Operation Epic Fury, a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, under circumstances differing from previous military interventions. Unlike Pearl Harbor or the Gulf War, this action lacked a direct attack response or formal war declaration. The Trump administration offered varied justifications including imminent threats, nuclear weapons prevention, regime change, election interference, assassination attempts, and regional stability. However, the administration provided no evidence supporting claims of imminent threats, nuclear weapons proximity, or election interference. Trump stated in his State of the Union that a June 2025 strike had already obliterated Iran's nuclear program, contradicting urgency claims.

Read at The Washington Post