'We Were All Set to Go' – Trump Now Reveals How Close Iran Came to Being Hit

On Tuesday, President Trump held an informal presser outside the White House, where the construction on the now White House ballroom is underway. He spoke on a variety of topics, but of particular interest was his update on the state of affairs with Iran - and with the other Gulf States that asked him to hold off on an attack that, we learn now, may have only been an hour away. Here are some select clips.

First, on the hour-away status of the planned attack:

REPORTER: "How close were you to striking Iran?" @POTUS: "I was an hour away. We were all set to go... it would have been happening right now." pic.twitter.com/JdtA8Ums03
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 19, 2026

The president said:

Reporter: How close were you to striking Iran?
President Trump: I was an hour away. We were all set to go. You're talking about yesterday.
Reporter: Yes.
President Trump: We were going to be striking very... I would have been happening right now. It was all done. The boats, the ships, they were all loaded, they were loaded to the brim, and we were all set to start.

This doesn't come as any surprise; all the signs had been pointing toward a resumption of hostilities. President Trump had been expressing increasing anger and frustration with Iranian recalcitrance, and Iran had been insisting on conditions that they knew the United States would never accept, including retaining their nuclear capacity - what's left of it.

Next, President Trump indicated an indifference to the polling on this issue:

.@POTUS on Iran: "Whether it's popular or not popular, I have to do it — because I'm not going to let the world be blown up on my watch. It's not going to happen." pic.twitter.com/zL4eSIndsY
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 19, 2026

Here's what was said:

President Trump: I'm not doing this politically. Look, everyone tells me it's unpopular, but I think it's very popular. When you hear, when they hear that it's having to do with nuclear weapons, weapons that could take out Los Angeles, could take out major cities, very quick, when they hear that, you... when they're explained... You know, I'll tell you what, when we explain it to people, I don't know if we have enough time to explain to people. Too busy getting it done. When they understand, I think it's frankly very popular, but whether it's popular or not popular, I have to do it. Because I'm not going to let the world be blown up on my watch. It's not going to happen.

In matters of national security, this is how decisions like this should - must - be made. This isn't a popularity contest. It's the Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces making decisions about our national security, about the liberty and property of our citizens, about the free flow of commerce around the world, or, in this case, the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran Tries One Last Gambit As Trump Appears Ready to Act

Finally, an update on how things stand at the moment:

.@POTUS says he's giving Iran "a limited period of time" to make a deal "because we can't let them have a nuclear weapon."

"There's no question in my mind that they'd use it, there's no question—and I deal with these people. They're extremely radicalized." pic.twitter.com/iwKlD757l6
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 19, 2026

Reporter: How long did they know you were planning this?
President Trump: They knew I was getting ready to attack. I didn't tell them. I never tell anybody when.
Reporter: You're in constant contact, though?
President Trump: I never tell anybody when. But they knew that we were very close. I would say we were... I was an hour away from making the decision to go today. And we would probably not be talking about a beautiful ballroom today, we'd be talking about that. And, we, uh, I had made the decision. So they called up, they had heard I had made the decision, and said, "Sir, could you give us a couple more days," because we think they're being reasonable.
Reporter: (Shouted, inaudible question)
President Trump: Well, I'm saying two or three days, maybe Friday, Saturday, Sunday, maybe early next week. A limited period of time. Because we can't let them have a nuclear weapon. If they had a nuclear weapon, they would start with Israel. They would blow it up. And they would blow it up fast. They'd blow it up, and I'll tell you what, they'd go after Saudi Arabia, they'd go after Kuwait, they'd go after UAE, they'd go after Qatar, they'd go after... I think they'd go after the entire Middle East. And it would be a whole different negotiation. It would not be... It would be nuclear holocaust. And there's no question in my mind that they'd use it. There's no question. And I deal with these people. They're extremely radicalized. These are not people like, when I deal with you. (Laughs.) You're a very nice guy. These are people that are seriously radicalized. They would use it. The only question would be the first minute, the first hour, or the first day.

In this, President Trump acknowledges something I've been saying for years: If Iran ever developed (or bought; I'm looking at you, North Korea) a nuclear weapon, they would use it. The only question is where and how. It might be Tel Aviv; it might be New York; it might be Washington. But use it they would, they would use it quickly, and they would use it to what they reckon to be the maximum effect.

Now, in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, many phone lines are likely being overloaded. The Gulf states want the oil to keep flowing. Iran likely still wants things it can't have, like partial control over the Strait of Hormuz.

And so, we wait, and we watch.

Editor's Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is eliminating the threat from Iran once and for all.

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