Full Breakdown
Trump Assured Musk and Carlson the U.S. Would Not Go to War with Iran, Then Ordered Strikes
6/22/2026, 2:09:59 AM
Oval Office Assurance on Iran
In early 2025 President Donald Trump met with SpaceX chief Elon Musk and commentator Tucker Carlson in the Oval Office. When Carlson asked whether the United States would join Israel’s push for a war against Iran, Trump replied, “We’re not doing that,” and warned that a broader conflict would “wreck” his presidency. The meeting, described in *Regime Change*, also featured Trump’s graphic recounting of injuries from Israel’s September 2024 exploding-pager attack on Hezbollah.
Background & Context
Netanyahu briefed Trump in the Situation Room, arguing that Iran posed an imminent threat. The briefing followed Israel’s September 2024 pager attack, which left victims with mutilated genitals and missing hands. Trump called Netanyahu a “con man,” expressed both fascination and horror at the attack’s “indiscriminate” nature, and showed Carlson a two-page document comparing his power to Stalin, Mao and Hitler—a document later traced to a non-historian.
Timeline
The September 2024 pager attack preceded the early-2025 Oval Office meeting; U.S. strikes followed in either June 2025 (a 12-day clash) or February 2026 (a 39-day campaign). A June 2026 memorandum of understanding sought to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.
Official Statements & Responses
Trump stressed that the United States would not be drawn into a war, saying any conflict would jeopardize his legacy. He later labeled the operation “major combat operations” aimed at degrading Iran’s missile and nuclear capabilities, insisting it was not a formal war. Carlson warned that “the only thing that could wreck it is war with Iran” and later called the strikes “absolutely disgusting and evil.”
Criticism & Opposition
Carlson’s anti-interventionist stance put him at odds with Netanyahu. He condemned the Israeli prime minister’s “Gaza carnage” and warned Trump that a war would damage his political standing. White House officials later worried the book’s details might stem from recorded Situation-Room discussions.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources disagree on the strike’s date and length—June 2025 (12-day) or Feb 2026 (39-day). The book does not confirm whether the Oval Office meeting was recorded, and the administration has not verified any audio or video evidence.
Verbatim Quotes
- “They want you to go to war with Iran,” — Tucker Carlson, media commentator
- “We’re not doing that.” — Donald Trump, President of the United States
- “I don’t think there’s ever been an American president as powerful as I am.” — Donald Trump
- “Certainly not since FDR. Really, the only thing that could wreck it is war with Iran.” — Tucker Carlson
What’s Next
The MOU’s 60-day negotiation window ends in August 2026, and congressional committees have signaled interest in reviewing any recordings alleged by the book. Diplomatic talks aim to keep the Strait of Hormuz open as officials assess the fallout from the contradictory assurances and strikes.
