Leavitt: Trump ‘Always The Final Decision-Maker’ On Iran Action

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made clear Tuesday that when it comes to potential U.S. action against Iran, President Donald J. Trump alone calls the shots.

Speaking during an appearance on Fox & Friends, Leavitt emphasized that the president remains “always the final decision-maker” regarding any military response, dismissing what she described as irresponsible media speculation about looming action in the Middle East.

Her remarks come amid renewed scrutiny over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. While U.S. airstrikes in June under Operation Midnight Hammer dealt a significant blow to Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure, special envoy Steve Witkoff said over the weekend that Iran was “probably a week away from having industrial-grade bomb-making material.”

Leavitt stressed that crippling Iran’s capabilities once does not mean the regime will abandon its ambitions.

“The success of Operation Midnight Hammer does not mean that Iran may never try again to establish a nuclear program that could directly threaten the United States and our allies abroad, and that’s what the president wants to ensure can never happen again,” she said.

She also took aim at what she called “sensationalist reporting” driven by anonymous sources claiming insight into the president’s thinking.

“The president is always the final decision-maker around here,” Leavitt said. “And I’ve seen a lot of sensationalist reporting over the past day that is just completely untrue, and anyone speculating to the media, hiding behind an anonymous source, pretending to know what President Trump is thinking or a decision he will make with respect to action against Iran has no idea what they’re talking about.”

As President Trump prepares to deliver his State of the Union address, Leavitt previewed what she described as a forward-looking and patriotic speech centered on results.

“He’s going to share the stories of GREAT American heroes who exemplify bravery and the spirit of 1776,” she said. “And the president is, of course, going to tout his administration’s record-setting accomplishments over the past year while laying out an ambitious agenda to continue making the American dream more attainable for working-class people across the country.”

She added: “It’s gonna be a great speech. There will be some tear-jerking moments as there was last year, in addition to some moments of levity, and so we hope everyone will tune in.”

Meanwhile, some Democrats have announced plans to boycott the address altogether, while others intend to bring guests aimed at spotlighting what they characterize as controversies surrounding the so-called Jeffrey Epstein files.

California Reps. Ro Khanna and Robert Garcia said they will attend with women who have publicly accused convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein of abuse or who are calling for additional document disclosures.

Khanna said he will bring Haley Robson, while Garcia plans to bring Annie Farmer — though the Trump administration has maintained that all legally releasable materials have already been made public under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Congress passed — and President Trump readily signed — the bipartisan legislation last year, resulting in the release of approximately 3.5 million documents tied to multiple Epstein investigations. Critics note that Democrats showed little urgency to pursue disclosure during the presidency of Joe Biden, while President Trump campaigned explicitly on full transparency.

Immigration enforcement will also be in the spotlight.

Minnesota Democrat Ilhan Omar announced she will bring four guests to the address, including individuals she claims were detained by ICE during unrest in Minnesota following the death of Renee Nicole Good. According to the New York Post, one of those guests, Aliya Rahman, appeared in a viral video showing federal agents removing her from her vehicle.

Omar’s guest list includes Rahman, Mary Granlund, Mubashir Hussen, and Gerardo Orozco Guzman.

While Democrats prepare symbolic statements for the chamber, the White House is signaling that President Trump’s focus remains fixed on national security, economic growth, and restoring American strength at home and abroad.

With Iran’s nuclear ambitions looming, border enforcement front and center, and historic transparency efforts already underway, the president’s message appears clear: America First policies will continue — and the final decisions will rest firmly in his hands.