00:00Author and journalist Michael Wolff has criticized President Donald Trump over his
00:03handling of the ongoing conflict with Iran, suggesting the president approach the situation
00:07without sufficient preparation. Speaking on the podcast Inside Trump's Head,
00:11Wolff described Trump as someone who often avoids detailed policy briefings and prefers
00:15to make decisions spontaneously. According to Wolff, U.S. presidents typically receive
00:19extensive briefing materials before major military decisions, including documents
00:23outlining strategic goals, possible consequences, and multiple scenarios that could unfold during
00:27a conflict. Wolff argued that such briefings are considered essential because they help
00:31leaders understand the risks and long-term implications of military action. However,
00:35he claimed that Trump has not followed the same approach and is instead making decisions in a
00:39more improvisational manner. The author made the remarks while discussing the recent escalation
00:43between the United States and Iran, which began after U.S. strikes on Iranian targets earlier this
00:48year. The conflict has since expanded across parts of the Middle East and has resulted in casualties
00:52among both military personnel and civilians. Wolff, who previously reported extensively on Trump's
00:57first administration, also said the president often views leadership decisions in a personal
01:02and instinct-driven way. He described Trump as someone who prefers to ad-lib rather than follow
01:07structured policy planning. Other former officials have expressed similar concerns about Trump's
01:11approach to intelligence briefings. Former National Security Advisor John Bolton recently said that
01:16the president sometimes struggled to process lengthy intelligence reports prepared by advisors and did not
01:21always treat briefings as a priority. Bolton also warned that the escalating conflict with Iran could have
01:26far-reaching consequences if long-term planning is not clearly defined. Meanwhile, administration
01:31officials have offered differing explanations about the goals of the military campaign. Defense
01:35Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States is not pursuing regime change in Iran and is instead
01:40focused on limiting the country's nuclear capabilities. However, Trump has publicly called for the Iranian
01:45people to overthrow their government following the death of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. After Khamenei's death,
01:51Iran's leadership council selected his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the country's new supreme leader.
01:57In response to Wolf's comments, the White House rejected his claims. Communications director Stephen
02:01Chung said Wolf's reporting was inaccurate and described the author as a longtime critic of the
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