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... During a roundtable on crime prevention in Memphis, the president recounted how he made the decision to launch the strikes on Iran late last month.

"I said, let's talk.' We got a problem in the Middle East. We have a country known as Iran that , for 47 years, been just a purveyor of terror, and they're very close to a nuclear weapon," Trump said.

The president then explained what he viewed were the options.

"We can keep going and get that 50,000 up to 55 and 60, there's no end," Trump said, referring to the military's goal to recruit 60,000 soldiers, "or we can take a stop and make a little journey into the Middle East and eliminate a big problem."

"And I think, Pete, you were the first one to speak up," Trump said. "And you said, let's do it.' Because you cannot let them have a nuclear weapon." ...