Donald Trump’s second term has drawn controversy, marked by unpredictable developments and intense media scrutiny. He remains one of the most widely discussed political figures globally. From launching Operation Absolute Resolve against Venezuela in January to Operation Epic Fury targeting Iran, the administration and its MAGA allies have remained under intense public scrutiny.
According to MS Now, top Trump administration officials have allegedly focused on presenting only positive developments from U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, which have been ongoing since Feb. 28. The attacks come amid prolonged tensions between the United States and Iran dating back to the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the 444-day hostage crisis during President Jimmy Carter’s administration.
Consequently, Donald Trump has not followed the traditional Presidential Daily Briefing, a typically nonpolitical, in-depth intelligence summary prepared by government experts, regarding Operation Epic Fury. “Each day since the start of the conflict in Iran, U.S. military officials prepare a short video update for Donald Trump,” MS Now’s Jen Psaki said.
According to three current and one former U.S. official:
“These videos highlight the biggest and most successful strikes on Iranian targets over the previous 48 hours.”
Psaki, who has hosted her own show since 2023, criticized Trump’s national security advisers, comparing the process to a strict parent handling a cranky toddler.
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“Just give the baby an iPad with lots of flashing lights and big booms and hope it keeps its attention,” she added.
Psaki said the briefing process allows presidents to question advisers on critical national security issues, including wars, ensuring they receive unbiased information. She added that such a process does not appear to be taking place. She also claimed that while the highlight reel is not Trump’s only source of information, his ability to analyze complex issues has been questioned since the start of his political career.
She said that during his first administration, he regularly skipped intelligence briefings, prompting aides to condense key information into single-page memos with visuals. Trump’s aides also had to “trick” him into reading additional briefings, she said. “At one point, the National Security Council even included Trump’s name in as many paragraphs as possible because he would keep reading as long as it referenced him.”
Trump is also said to process visually engaging information more effectively. At one point during his second administration, advisers considered producing a video version of the briefing styled like a Fox News broadcast. As a result, some briefings have reportedly been simplified into highlight reels featuring military footage and dramatic visuals.
Psaki also mocked Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who reportedly referred to MAGA-style propaganda videos as “banger memes,” citing clips that combine military footage with content from sports, video games, and films like Call of Duty and SpongeBob SquarePants.
There have been multiple instances where Trump appeared unaware of key developments, at one point claiming, “We have won the war,” despite the conflict continuing.
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For instance, Trump recently sent Iran a 15-point plan to end the war, saying negotiations were progressing well. Iran rejected the proposal and issued its own demands. Psaki said there is a clear disconnect between Trump’s understanding of the conflict and the situation on the ground.
“Nobody knows where the war is going,” she said.
In a media address, Trump said, “We are doing very well on the war front. To put it mildly, I would say. Somebody asked, on a scale of 1 to 10, where would you rate it? I said about 15. And we’re going to continue what we have. We have the greatest military in the world by far.”
