Trump Hits Iran

Trump’s address to the nation was short and to the point.

It’s on!

On June 21, 2025, just after 10 p.m. (EST), President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. military conducted strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The operation marked a significant escalation in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, drawing the U. S. directly into the conflict.

Key details of the attack

President Trump stated goal was to destroy Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and halt the “nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror.”

The strikes hit three of Iran’s key uranium enrichment sites:

Fordow is a heavily fortified facility buried deep within a mountain and is critical to Iran’s nuclear program. It was targeted with U. S. B-2 stealth bombers carrying GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) “bunker buster” bombs, designed to penetrate deeply buried targets.

Natanz and Isfahan are two additional nuclear enrichment sites. They were struck with precision-guided munitions, including thirty Tomahawk missiles launched from U. S. Navy nuclear submarines.

The operation involved B-2 stealth bombers and naval assets. Trump said the strikes were a “spectacular military success,” asserting that Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities were “completely and totally obliterated.”

The U. S. strikes followed over a week of Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military targets, starting on June 13th, aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Israel.

Israel had lobbied for U. S. support, as only American B-2 bombers could deploy the GBU-57 bombs capable of penetrating Fordow’s defenses and Trump’s decision came after failed diplomatic efforts, including a last-ditch attempt to negotiate with Iran through Turkish mediation.

Trump had previously opposed Iran’s nuclear ambitions, withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018. He initially explored diplomacy but grew frustrated with Iran’s refusal to negotiate amid Israeli attacks, and so, he acted.

And just like that, Trump undid all Obama’s hard work to nuclearize Iran.

Trump Hits Iran

The Obama administration’s transfer of funds to Iran in 2016, involved a $1.7 billion “settlement” ($400 million principal + $1.3 billion interest) related to a decades-old dispute over a failed arms deal from the 1970s between the U. S. and the Shah’s government. The U. S. was sitting on the money awaiting the Shah’s return.

Obama decided to settle and sent pallets of cash, using non-U.S. currencies such as euros, Swiss francs, and other foreign currencies, to the Mullahs who had overthrown the Shah (with JImmy Carter’s help).

And whatever you do, don’t ever say that the any of the money was returned for the release of four American prisoners who Iran was holding as hostages. It is U. S. policy to never, ever pay ransom for hostages (wink, wink).

That $1.7 billion could still be sitting in Washington (DC), but the bottom line is — Obama “released” $1.7 billion to Iran because Obama wanted to.

Obama’s “legal necessity” excuse was politically convenient. The deal was with the Shah of Iran. Obama did not have to recognize the Mullahs as the legitimate government of Iran.

Any rationale would do and waiting for a return of the Shah or his government in exile was a viable alternative if Obama had wanted a harder line, but done is done.

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