“Operation Midnight Hammer,” conceived over the course of months and conducted within the span of 25 minutes, has resulted in a significant setback in Iran’s capability of producing a nuclear weapon. This debilitating strike, directed at three of Iran’s critical nuclear facilities designed to enrich and research the creation of a nuclear weapon, utilized over 120 U.S. aircraft and marked the first use in an operational setting of a 30,000-pound “bunker buster” bomb (the world’s most destructive non-nuclear weapon). Behind the 25 minutes was a high-wire game of deception and secrecy—unpredictability at the heart of President Donald Trump’s intent, as he issued a trademark “two-week” deadline in a fake-out to mask an already made decision.
At home, the political shockwaves are just as explosive as the potency of these “bunker buster” bombs—multiple Republicans deep in the MAGA folds have directly criticized this attack as a betrayal of Trump’s 2024 campaign philosophy of non-intervention in the Middle East. Democrats have been quick to charge the President with usurping Congress using a dubious rationale under the War Powers Act.
Trump’s First Ultimatum
At the top of the President’s agenda upon entering office, he had set out to negotiate a new nuclear deal with Iran to ultimately efface President Obama’s nuclear deal, which he pulled the United States out of during his first term. On April 12th, 2025, Trump issued a 60-day ultimatum designed to bring the Iranians to the negotiating table—but negotiations were conducted with deep distrust at best, with Israel belligerent in its attitude to destroy Iran’s nuclear program.
As early as late May, negotiations seemed all but dead, as Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu declared to a small group of House lawmakers that “we fight or we die” was the prevailing sentiment against Iran. A report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) evaluated that Tehran was capable of producing 34 kilograms of uranium enriched at 60% per month—far beyond the 3–5% of a civilian nuclear program. Diplomatic overtures led by the United States had failed, and on Day 61, June 12th, 2025—Israel launched a barrage of missiles, with Iran following in tow. The heat was now on President Trump.
The day after the attack took place, President Trump took to his socials, lauding the attack as something “very successful,” as he closely monitored his regular consumption of Fox News while the wheels began to formulate around an attack, looking for others to reaffirm his growing sense that the United States should come to aid Israel. On Sunday, June 15th, Trump departed for a G7 meeting in Alberta, coming with his sense crystallizing into action as the Pentagon refined a years-long plan to destroy the enrichment facilities. As the heat in the Israeli camp grew, Trump’s resolve toward intervention was all but set as he bolted from the G7 meeting back to Washington to enact his feint.
Two Weeks and Operation Midnight Hammer
Two weeks seems to be the President’s favorite metric of time. From “two weeks” to negotiate tariffs, to “two weeks” for an infrastructure bill in his first term—the President has not refrained from using this metric as a favorite tactic of negotiations. Iran was “given” two weeks.
Those two weeks elapsed quicker than usual as the President declared last Monday that everyone should evacuate Tehran, stating that only a complete and “unconditional” Iranian surrender was the last resort, Iran tied any surrender to the end of Israeli aggression as a precondition. When on Thursday he issued the “two weeks,” he suggested that it was the maximum amount of time he would give the Iranians—meaning strikes could happen at any time—and by Friday night, planes were already in the air.
The plan, involving nine B-2 bombers, where two were to fly west toward Guam in a feint, and the “main strike package” of seven B-2s from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, flew for 18 hours to reach their target area in Iran. Once Iranian airspace was cleared, the B-2s—the only aircraft capable of carrying the “bunker buster” MOPs—conducted coordinated strikes within the span of 25 minutes, with significant damage.
It is still unclear what the full impact is upon Iran’s hopes of obtaining a nuclear weapon. As soon as the strikes were announced by the President on his Truth Social, some Republicans were quick to praise the President, followed by a small minority of Democrats—but as soon as the post was released, political warfare ensued.
Political Woes
The Trump team was not aloof to the implications of a Mid-East strike; they carefully weighed polling options where, according to some numbers, upwards of 60% of Americans did not want to get into war with Iran. Yet other numbers suggest that 80% of all U.S. adults don’t want Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. This contradiction was evident in the political arena amongst members of the President’s own “MAGA” faction—Tucker Carlson, a right-wing news commentator known for his alignment with the President, eviscerated Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) over supporting potential strikes against Iran and foreign intervention. Representative Warren Davidson (R-OH) stated, “While the President’s decision may prove just, it’s hard to conceive a rationale that’s Constitutional.”
The President’s team, including V.P. J.D. Vance, Secretary Hegseth, and others, were quick to point out that this was a strike against Iran’s nuclear program—not Iran itself—“We’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program.” This stance was a boon to placate isolationists in the party. But as quickly as the President’s team rallied behind this messaging—the President had other ideas.
On Truth Social, the President reversed course on Sunday, saying, “Why wouldn’t there be regime change???” and “MIGA [Make Israel Great Again].”
Along the same ideological lines, the Democrats showed a stark chasm in the pro-Israel wing, with Democrats like Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) supporting the President’s actions as an act of force. The consensus among a majority of Democrats is that Trump’s actions exceed his constitutional authority and stand as a direct violation of the War Powers Act, as we are not directly at war with Iran. Some Democrats, like AOC (D-NY), who slammed the legality of this action, are willing to go as far as branding it an impeachable offense.
Iran has responded with strikes against Israel and has vowed revenge against the United States. This is a developing situation.
“Back then, we had dumb presidents and now we have a president who actually knows how to accomplish America’s national security objectives”
JD Vance, Meet the Press
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