President Trump Was Asked if He Knew Attack Plan: “It’s Day 61, You Know…”

As the news broke last night, it almost seemed as though the United States had been caught off guard.

That was apparently not the case.

Israel launched wave after wave of strikes against hundreds of Iranian targets, as questions swirled about possible American involvement — and even whether President Trump was given advanced warning of the attack by Israel.

Here is one clip of explosions going off on the skyline of Tehran last night, as the Israeli Air Force struck deep inside Iran:

As the first wave of attacks were ongoing, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Iran not to retaliate against American forces.

In the first official statement from the Trump Administration, Rubio emphasized that the US was ‘not involved’ in the Israeli strikes:

pic.twitter.com/oRy6E1DTQJ

— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) June 13, 2025

Here is the full text of Secretary Rubio’s statement, which was quickly shared by the White House:

“Tonight, Israel took unilateral action against Iran. We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense. President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.”

Rubio’s emphasis that this was a ‘unilateral action’ by Israel was quickly taken to mean that the United States wasn’t let in on the attack plan in advance.

The implication was that Israel metaphorically stabbed President Trump in the back while he was pushing for a diplomatic answer.

The President has been very clear: under no circumstance would he allow Iran to attain a nuclear weapon under his watch.

While prioritizing making a deal with Iran, and emphasizing the importance for our allies to coordinate their efforts when it comes to something as serious as a nuclear-armed Iran…

President Trump has always maintained the right of sovereign nations to unilaterally defend themselves in the face of aggression — particularly when coupled with unending threats from a nation promising nuclear annihilation at the first opportunity.

Late last night, Bret Baier of Fox News reported immediately after a phone call with President Trump that there was — at the very least — advanced warning.

According to Baier and this Fox News report, the President told him the attack did not come as a surprise:

🚨BREAKING: President Trump told Fox News he knew about Israel’s strikes ahead of time and still wants negotiation talks with Iran:

BRET BAIER: “I just spoke to President Trump. One thing the president was aware of Israel’s action before it happened.”

“He gave me a quote. He… pic.twitter.com/0UtYfMjVAg

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) June 13, 2025

Some takeaways from Baier’s phone conversation with the President include:

• President Trump had advanced warning of the attack on Iran.
• A “key” Mideast ally was also made aware by President Trump.
• A retaliatory strike by Iran is expected.
• President Trump hopes this will highlight the need for Iran to make a DEAL.
• The U.S. military was not directly involved in the strikes.

The President also said outright that he knew everything about the attack in advance, according to a report by the New York Post:

President Trump told The Post Friday that he knew Israel would strike Iran if the theocratic regime didn’t quickly agree to a revised nuclear deal with the US.

“I always knew the date,” the president said in a brief phone interview. “Because I know everything. I know everything. I know everything.

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“I gave them 60 days and they didn’t meet it,” Trump went on. “Today’s 61, you know. Today’s day 61.”

Asked whether Netanyahu provided him with intelligence showing the progress of Iran’s nuclear program and whether the 60-day window was mutually agreed, Trump said, “I know what’s going on. Someone informed me of it.”

“They had a great chance to make a deal. Iran did,” Trump said Friday. “They had a great chance to make a deal and they didn’t make it.” (Emphasis Added.)

That certainly dispels the false reporting by the mainstream that President Trump wasn’t in the loop, along with the idea that this wasn’t right on his own timeline.

He drew a redline with a timeline.  That redline was crossed.  And unlike during the Biden years… or the Obama years… if President Trump draws a red line, that means something.

Not to mention — even if Netanyahu HAD tried to keep that attack secret…

He probably could have.  At least from everyone except President Trump.  Good luck with that!

It does appear that an initial response by Iran came overnight in the form of a drone attack.

Here was the Fox News reporting as soon as the drone assault was detected, while the drones were still in the air:

That attack was apparently completely rebuffed, with most of the drones being shot down outside of Israeli airspace.

There were initial reports as well that missile launches had been detected from within Iran, possibly heading for Israel.

If so, those missiles were also presumably neutralized before hitting their targets.

Those reports were coupled with explosions in Iraq, including Baghdad… which I suspected at the time might be Iranian retaliation against US bases — but that has not been confirmed or reported on since.

Even as President Trump took a jab at Iran for losing some of it’s leadership in this attack, he expressed his hope that even this might bring Iran back to the negotiating table, according to Fox News:

President Donald Trump told Fox News Channel’s chief political anchor Bret Baier on Thursday he was aware that Israel was going to conduct preemptive strikes on Iran before they happened.

“Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see. There are several people in leadership in Iran that will not be coming back,” Trump said.

Israeli strikes on Iran killed three of the country’s top military commanders, including Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Hossein Salami, Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Hossein Bagheri and Commander of Iran’s Emergency Command Gholam-Ali Rashid.

The president said he hopes Iran returns to the negotiating table, though Iran has signaled its intention to pull out of further talks. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and his team had been scheduled to meet with their Iranian counterparts in Oman on Sunday.

Israeli forces used around 200 fighter jets to strike targets in Iran, destroying dozens of radars and surface-to-air missile launchers as well as nuclear facilities. Iran launched around 100 retaliatory drones toward Israel hours later which Israeli forces said they were working to intercept.

Trump said he is watching for any retaliation, and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is on high alert. He noted that the U.S. is ready to defend itself and Israel if Iran retaliates. In recent weeks, the U.S. has replenished Iron Dome missiles. (Emphasis added.)

The attacks included not only obvious military targets.

They also included key scientists within Iran’s nuclear program, as well as key leadership within the Iranian government and military.

ABC News reported on the strikes early this morning, detailing some of those targets:

Israel carried out a major attack inside Iran, aimed at crippling its nuclear program and preventing Iran from building a nuclear bomb.@ABC News' @MarcusMoore has the latest. https://t.co/DiBex43P0I pic.twitter.com/RGVP2x2UQX

— ABC News (@ABC) June 13, 2025

Despite US warnings against targeting Americans in retaliation, the Iranian response is still up in the air, as reported by the Associated Press:

The administration’s first reaction to the Israeli assault came not from Trump, but from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is doubling as Trump’s national security adviser. He sought to make clear that the U.S. was “not involved” and that the Republican administration’s central concern was protecting U.S. forces in the region.

“Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense,” Rubio said in a statement. “President Trump and the Administration have taken all necessary steps to protect our forces and remain in close contact with our regional partners. Let me be clear: Iran should not target U.S. interests or personnel.”

As Israel stepped up planning for strikes in recent weeks, however, Iran, had signaled that the United States would be held responsible in the event of an Israeli attack. The warning was issued by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi even as he engaged in talks with Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.

The Trump Administration is obviously attempting to minimize the possibility of getting pulled more deeply into the conflict between Israel and Iran.

But the warnings from Rubio and President Trump were clear.

And no one should expect the President to sit on his hands like Biden did if Americans are targeted in response.

Gunther Eagleman put it rather succinctly:

There’s one mistake Iran can make right now.

That would be harming an American.

Trump has never backed off on that red line.

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) June 13, 2025

This is certainly a fluid and developing situation, and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future.

We will bring you updates as more information becomes available, and the situation plays out.