MSNBC host Joe Scarborough has drawn significant attention for his unexpected defense of President Donald Trump’s military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, arguing that previous presidents would have made the same decision. The Morning Joe host, typically a vocal critic of the Trump administration, delivered his surprising commentary on Monday morning, June 23, 2025.
Scarborough contended that Trump faced an impossible situation with Iran’s uranium enrichment program reaching 60 percent, putting the country within weeks of nuclear weapons capability. The host emphasized that he was not championing either side but believed any commander-in-chief would have felt compelled to act under similar circumstances.
During the broadcast, Scarborough argued that former presidents, including George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and even 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, would have authorized similar strikes. He questioned what the alternative would have looked like if Trump had not acted, given Iran’s advanced nuclear enrichment progress and international condemnation of their weapons development timeline.
Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, appearing as a panelist, supported Scarborough’s assessment. Ignatius revealed that three previous presidents had considered the exact same bombing scenario using the same battle plans and weaponry that Trump ultimately employed. However, those predecessors had pulled back due to uncertainties about the consequences of such military action.
The strikes occurred over the weekend, targeting Iran’s fortified uranium enrichment facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan using bunker buster bombs and Tomahawk cruise missiles. Trump characterized the operation as both historic and a spectacular military success, claiming the facilities suffered monumental damage based on satellite imagery.
Scarborough invoked former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger’s philosophy about presidential decision-making, explaining that leaders facing foreign policy crises are never presented with good and bad options, but rather two very difficult choices. The host suggested Trump’s diplomatic efforts had been exhausted before resorting to military action.
Reports indicated that Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had attempted to arrange meetings between U.S. and Iranian officials in Istanbul before the strikes occurred. These diplomatic initiatives collapsed when Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could not be reached for approval after reportedly fleeing to an undisclosed location.
The attacks came amid significant criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers who argued the strikes were unconstitutional without congressional approval. Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Thomas Massie, and Sean Casten condemned the action, with Casten calling it an unambiguous impeachable offense.
Scarborough’s position created an awkward moment for viewers on Tuesday morning, June 24, when Morning Joe cut to live footage of Trump departing the White House for a NATO summit. Instead of foreign policy commentary, viewers witnessed Trump launching into an angry tirade against CNN and MSNBC, calling both networks scum and criticizing their coverage of the Iran strikes.
Trump accused the networks of trying to diminish the success of the B-2 pilots who conducted the bombing runs, claiming they were attempting to undermine him rather than give credit to military personnel. Scarborough could only laugh in shock at the unexpected rant, noting they had certainly gotten the president’s unfiltered thoughts.
The situation became more complex as a ceasefire Trump had brokered between Israel and Iran quickly collapsed. Trump expressed greater anger toward Israel than Iran during his White House lawn remarks, using profanity to describe both countries’ handling of the situation. He indicated to Fox News that he was particularly frustrated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for what he perceived as bad-faith actions that violated the ceasefire terms.
The Independent reported that polling shows Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of Trump’s decision to bomb Iran and worry it will make the United States less safe. Despite this public sentiment, Scarborough maintained his position that the military action was inevitable given the circumstances Trump inherited and Iran’s nuclear program advancement.
Iran’s foreign minister condemned what he called extremely dangerous and criminal behavior, while satellite imagery analysis suggests Iran’s nuclear program, while damaged, remains far from completely destroyed.
