Welcome to the beat. I'm Ari Melburgh. We begin with this prospect of potentially the United States

hitting Iran. And then what certain independent reporting and critics argue is a kind of

unsurious or at times even circus or reality show atmosphere surrounding one of the most

important decisions a president can make. And while Donald Trump has certainly changed the artifice and the

traditions of national leadership and the presidency in ways that sometimes his supporters love

and ways other people's criticize, this is distinct when we talk about whether or not we would

strike in that region or do things that make it more likely that we have a U.S.

involved war or regional war.

Now, today the White House made some news by saying that Donald Trump, the president, is mulling

whether to strike Iran, and he will make that decision within two weeks.

Now, on the ground, we know that overnight Iran has bombed, done a bombing campaign

that hit this Israeli hospital, injuring over 240 people. You can see the visuals there, Israel's

health ministry discussing the damage. Israel, though, also continuing its attacks, and it started

what it said was a necessary strike to deal with alleged nuclear

capabilities, but it started the most recent volleys back and forth.

Meant time, Trump is also clashing with some of his own cabinet officials, the people he

picked to do the intelligence and military planning, but in the sort of freewheeling atmosphere

of this administration, remember, where one month Elon Musk is a super employee kind of overseeing the whole cabinet the next month he's gone.

But likewise, some of the people that Trump said were kind of going to run things this year may not be.

Washington Post reporting that neither Intelligence Chief Gabbard nor Pentagon Chief Heggsett

are really in starring roles right now on the inner circle advisors on issues that of course involve intelligence and the entire military overseen by Hegeseth.

Quote, nobody is talking to Hegbord, says one official. And by the way, as a procedural matter, it's concerning. If you don't want war with Iran, maybe you think it's a positive because you do want someone like him iced out.

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