WASHINGTON — On Monday, President Donald Trump stated that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth was the primary advocate within his administration for initiating war with Iran.

During a public safety roundtable held in Memphis, Tennessee, Trump shared that he sought advice from his top military officials on addressing the Iranian threat, with Hegseth promptly recommending military intervention to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities.

“I consulted with many of our outstanding leaders,” Trump stated. “I told them, ‘We’re facing an issue in the Middle East. Iran, a nation that has been a terror sponsor for 47 years, is nearing nuclear armament,’” he recalled.

Addressing Hegseth, Trump continued, “Pete, you were the first to speak up. Your words were, ‘Let’s do it, because they must not obtain a nuclear weapon.’”

As Trump recounted the conversation, Hegseth, seated next to him, acknowledged with a nod and a subtle smile.

The United States commenced Operation Epic Fury on February 28, joining forces with Israel in coordinated strikes against Iran. According to US Central Command, these operations have resulted in the US military targeting over 9,000 sites and either damaging or destroying more than 140 Iranian vessels.

Thirteen US service members have been killed in the fighting so far, while more than 200 have been wounded.

On Monday, just before the New York Stock Exchange opened, Trump announced a five-day pause on planned attacks against Iranian energy infrastructure, citing “very good and productive conversations” with the beleaguered regime.

Top officials in Iran, including its foreign ministry and Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bager Ghalibaf, denied that negotiations took place. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi acknowledged that he had engaged with his Turkish counterpart before Trump’s announcement that talks took place.

Turkey has mediated conflicts between the US and Iran in the past.

Trump didn’t identify the Iranian official, with whom he claimed special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held talks because “I don’t want them to be killed.” However, reports by Israeli media identified Ghalibaf as the contact.

Attacks by the US and Israel against non-energy targets in Iran are still ongoing.

The focus of the war has shifted to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint off Iran’s west coast, through which about a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil flows on an annual basis. Iran has closed the strait since the war began, causing benchmark oil prices to spike above $100 per barrel.

“We are now having really good discussions,” Trump said Monday of his team’s alleged talks with Iran. “They started last night, a little bit the night before that.

“They want peace to– they’ve agreed they will not have a nuclear weapon, you know, etc.,” he continued. “We’ll see. You have to get it done. But I would say there’s a very good chance.”