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How Trump Took U.S. to War With Iran

Source: nytimes.com

TL;DR

President Trump decided to join Israel in attacking Iran after Situation Room meetings sparked by Benjamin Netanyahu's February pitch.
Netanyahu presented on February 11 that Iran was ripe for regime change, showing videos of potential post-war leaders like Reza Pahlavi.
Trump's instincts overrode his vice president's concerns and pessimistic intelligence, leading to war on February 28 amid limited inner-circle opposition.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/us/politics/trump-iran-war.html)[[2]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/us/politics/trump-iran-war-takeaways.html)

The story at a glance

The article details the internal White House deliberations that led President Trump to authorize U.S. military action alongside Israel against Iran. Key figures include Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump's vice president, and intelligence officials. It draws from reporting for a forthcoming book by authors Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman. The piece comes now, over a month into the war that began February 28, as Trump faces escalating challenges like the Strait of Hormuz blockade.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/us/politics/trump-iran-war.html)[[3]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/us/politics/trump-iran-war.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share)[[2]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/us/politics/trump-iran-war-takeaways.html)

Key points

On February 11, Netanyahu arrived at the White House and delivered an hourlong classified presentation in the Situation Room, arguing Iran faced regime change and showing a video montage of possible successors, including Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran's last shah.[[2]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/us/politics/trump-iran-war-takeaways.html)[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/us/politics/trump-iran-war.html)
Trump weighed the pitch against deep concerns from his vice president and a pessimistic U.S. intelligence assessment during follow-up Situation Room meetings over the next two and a half weeks.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/us/politics/trump-iran-war.html)
Most of Trump's inner circle offered no sustained opposition, deferring to his confidence in a quick, decisive war, with only one member pushing back significantly.[[2]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/us/politics/trump-iran-war-takeaways.html)
The meetings culminated in Trump's go-ahead for joint U.S.-Israeli strikes, launching the major campaign against Iran on February 28.[[2]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/us/politics/trump-iran-war-takeaways.html)

Details and context

The article, based on previously undisclosed details from Swan and Haberman's reporting for their book Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump, highlights how Netanyahu's high-stakes visit - including Mossad director David Barnea and Israeli military officials - aligned closely with Trump's hawkish views built over months.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/us/politics/trump-iran-war.html)

This process unfolded amid ongoing U.S. nuclear diplomacy with Iran, which Netanyahu sought to derail. The war has since stalled key goals: Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz persists, disrupting one-fifth of global oil, and its enriched uranium stockpile remains a threat despite U.S. strikes.[[4]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/02/opinion/trump-iran-war-speech.html)

Trump has shifted rhetoric, initially touting regime change as achieved but now facing prolonged conflict into its sixth week, with threats of strikes on civilian infrastructure like power plants raising war crime concerns.[[5]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/05/us/politics/trump-iran-war-crimes-truth-social.html)

Key quotes

Netanyahu argued in the Situation Room: Iran was "ripe for regime change" and a joint campaign could topple the government.[[2]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/07/us/politics/trump-iran-war-takeaways.html)

Why it matters

The U.S. entry into war with Iran risks broader regional instability, higher global energy prices, and strained alliances as Europe stays distant. For Americans, it means surging gasoline costs, potential escalation, and debates over war powers and costs with no clear end. Watch Trump's April 8 deadline for Hormuz reopening - escalation to infrastructure strikes is possible, though past deadlines have slipped amid backchannel talks.[[6]](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/04/07/world/iran-war-trump-news)