US President Donald Trump said in a phone interview with Fox News that he felt compelled to launch military action against Iran to protect the United States and prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He argued that a nuclear-armed Iran would undermine his goal of keeping America strong and secure, recalling warnings he said he heard from his uncle, a longtime professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, about the dangers of nuclear power.

Addressing critics who say he had campaigned against entering new conflicts, Trump insisted the situation required decisive action. He framed the conflict as necessary for national security and maintaining American strength on the global stage.

Trump also discussed the possibility of unrest inside Iran, saying Iranians are 'petrified' to protest against the regime. He claimed that security forces respond to demonstrations with lethal force, discouraging people from taking to the streets, and referenced past protests led by women that were met with violent crackdowns.