The President made clear before we were attacked at Tower 22 in Jordan, before our brave service members were tragically killed, that if we were attacked, we would respond.

So Iran and its militia groups knew that the United States was going to respond.

We also said we'd do it at a time and place of our choosing.

We planned the attack, we executed the attack,

we hit where we wanted to hit, when we wanted to hit. Of course, there will always be

armchair quarterbacks, but we are confident in the steps that we have taken so far,

and we are confident in the course that we are on going forward.

That's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan Sullivan responding to criticism of the retaliatory

strikes for the drone attack that killed U.S. troops in Jordan. We'll go through that military

action in the Middle East and what could come next. Plus, we'll bring you the details of the long-awaited

bipartisan border deal,

which is now getting pushback from members on both sides of the aisle.

And also ahead, the latest NBC news polling on a Biden-Trump rematch.

The new data is highlighting some of the president's real struggles with voters on some major issues.

Good morning and welcome to way too early on this Monday, February 5th. I'm John Flemere.

Thanks for starting your day and week with us.

We have a lot to get to this morning, and we'll begin with the developing situation in the Middle

East, where the United States carried out retaliatory airstrikes on Friday, targeting

sites used by Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria. NBC News has been able to verify the location of

five of those sites. U.S. Central Command said the attack involved more than 125 precise munitions,

including some fired from long-range B-1 bombers. The barrage of strikes hit more than 85 targets in seven locations and came in response

to a drone attack last month in Jordan that killed three American soldiers and wounded dozens

...