DONALD TRUMP HAS insisted that Israel did not pressure the US into launching strikes against Iran and said that “if anything, I might have forced Israel’s hand”.
He also said he will “cut off all trade with Spain” and that he has been “surprised” at how “uncooperative” that UK has been.
Trump and Germany Chancellor Friedrich Merz today held a media briefing in the Oval Office of the White House.
Merz is visiting Washington for a meeting that was arranged prior to the outbreak of the war in Iran.
The first question posed to Trump was whether Israel had “forced his hand”.
“No, I might have forced their hand,” Trump replied.
Q: Did Israel force your land to launch these strikes against Iran?
TRUMP: No. I might’ve forced their hand. It was my opinion that these lunatics were gonna attack first. pic.twitter.com/KcDmIbI6Vr
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 3, 2026
He added: “You see, we were having negotiations with these lunatics, and it was my opinion that they were going to attack first.
“If we didn’t do it, they were going to attack first, I felt strongly about that.
“So if anything, I might have forced Israel’s hand, but Israel was ready, and we were ready, and we’ve had a very, very powerful impact, because virtually everything they have has been knocked out.”
Trump added that Iran now has no navy, air force or air detection.
He also expressed “surprise” that Iran is striking neighbouring countries.
Iran has carried out strikes against a number of countries hosting US bases, including Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.
“I think they were surprised, I was surprised,” said Trump.
“They hit countries that had nothing to do with what’s going on.
“They were sort of leaving everything alone, all of a sudden they had missiles shot in, which shows you the level of evil that we’re dealing with, they’ll hit people that were at least somewhat friendly and had no problems with it.”
Trump also claimed Iran is “hitting only civilian places” whereas the US is striking “more appropriate” targets.
Elsewhere, Trump strongly criticised Spain and the UK.
“Spain has been terrible,” said Trump.
Trump: “Spain has been terrible. I told Scott to cut off all dealings with Spain. They said we can’t use their bases. We could use their bases if we want. We could just fly in and use it. Nobody is gonna tell us not to use it.” pic.twitter.com/aOBmrzGcxo
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 3, 2026
He added that he instructed his administration to “cut off all dealings with Spain”.
“Spain actually said that we can’t use their bases,” said Trump.
“That’s alright, we could use their base if we want, we could just fly in and use it, nobody’s going to tell us not to use it, but we don’t have to.
“But they were unfriendly, and Spain has absolutely nothing that we need, other than great people, but they don’t have great leadership.”
Trump said he will “cut off all trade with Spain” and added “I’m not happy with the UK, either”.
The UK decided not to join the assault on Iran that Trump launched with Israel on Saturday.
Starmer said US fighter jets could use two UK air bases for a “specific and limited defensive purpose” –one in Gloucestershire in western England and the other at the joint UK-US Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean.
“It’s taken three, four days for us to work out where we can land. There would have been much more convenient landing there, as opposed to flying many extra hours,” Trump said in apparent reference to Diego Garcia.
“So we were very surprised,” said Trump.
“This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with.”
Trump: “I’m not happy with the UK … this is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with” pic.twitter.com/GVMul2QcJa
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 3, 2026
Trump said it was “shocking” that the UK has been “very uncooperative” and added: “This is not the age of Churchill.”
Meanwhile, Trump said that two waves of attacks on Iran had killed most of the figures he had eyed as potential new leaders.
“Most of the people we had in mind are dead,” Trump said.
“Now we have another group. They may be dead also, based on reports.”
He said the “worst-case scenario” would be a new leader like the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“I guess the worst case would be, we do this, and then somebody takes over who’s as bad as the previous person, right?
“That could happen. We don’t want that to happen.”
Trump: “I guess the worst case is we do this and then somebody takes over who is as bad as the previous person. That could happen.” pic.twitter.com/8nrdyhBOsg
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 3, 2026
Trump ended his remarks by claiming that “if we didn’t stop” Iran, there would have been a “nuclear war”.
“They would have taken out many countries because they’re sick people, they’re mentally ill, they’re angry, they’re crazy, they’re sick”.
Trump: “A big factor in this world is what we’re doing right now with Iran. If we don’t stop them or if we didn’t stop them or if we didn’t start — they’ve been decimated. But if we didn’t do what we’re doing right now, you would’ve had a nuclear war and they would’ve taken out… pic.twitter.com/PxqL1R1Krb
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 3, 2026
