Trump Touts Iran Strikes, NATO Wins and Presses For Tax Bill/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Trump declared success in U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, despite reports questioning the damage inflicted. He attended the NATO summit in the Netherlands, securing allies’ pledges to boost defense spending. Back home, he’s pressuring Congress to pass his sweeping tax and domestic policy bill by July 4.
Quick Look
- Iran Strikes: Trump claims nuclear sites were “obliterated,” but intelligence leaks suggest limited setbacks for Iran.
- NATO Summit: Allies agree to boost defense spending to 5% GDP.
- Domestic Push: Trump urges Congress to finalize tax and policy bill before July 4.
Trump Highlights Iran Strikes, NATO Gains, and Push for Domestic Bill
Deep Look
President Donald Trump this week touted the success of recent U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, while also attending the NATO summit in the Netherlands and intensifying efforts to advance his sweeping domestic policy agenda.
Speaking about the Iran operation, Trump declared the mission a “very successful” effort that left nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan “completely and totally obliterated.” The strikes, carried out late Saturday, involved more than 125 U.S. aircraft, according to Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
However, a leaked assessment from the Defense Intelligence Agency, reported by CNN and The New York Times, suggested that the attacks might have set Iran’s nuclear program back by only a few months, rather than inflicting the extensive destruction claimed by the president. Despite this, Trump reiterated his willingness to strike Iran again if Tehran seeks to revive its nuclear ambitions.
NATO Summit in the Netherlands
Trump traveled to the Netherlands on Tuesday and Wednesday for the NATO summit, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy posted on social media that the two leaders “covered all the truly important issues,” as the U.S. continues efforts to help broker a peace agreement to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
At the summit, NATO allies—except Spain—agreed to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. Trump praised the move, highlighting his longstanding push for European nations to take on greater responsibility for their own defense.
Push for Domestic Agenda
Back in Washington, Trump urged lawmakers to finalize his major tax and domestic policy legislation. Speaking at a White House event on Thursday, he called the measure the “single-most important piece of border legislation ever to cross the floor of Congress.”
“This is the ultimate codification of our agenda to—very simply, a phrase that’s been used pretty well by me over the past 10 years—make America great again,” Trump told supporters during what he dubbed the “One, Big, Beautiful Event.”
Republicans are racing to meet Trump’s self-imposed July 4 deadline for passing the legislation. But hurdles remain after Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled Thursday that several proposed Medicaid reforms within the broader tax measure violated Senate rules and must be removed.
The administration and congressional Republicans are working to revise the bill in hopes of securing enough support for passage in the coming days.
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