During a March 26 appearance on “The Five,” President Donald Trump sidestepped questions regarding Iranian civilians enduring hardship during continuing military operations by praising Fox News anchor Dana Perino’s looks, evading any meaningful discussion about humanitarian circumstances within Iran as the fighting reaches its fifth week.
Upon being questioned about whether Iranians could obtain potable water and food amid the US-Israeli military offensive, the 79-year-old president suddenly changed subjects. He reminisced about a meal they had at Trump Tower, “when it was a brand new building,” saying to the married former George W. Bush press secretary, “You haven’t changed. You may be even better looking,” according to The Daily Beast.
The interaction took place while accounts indicate Iranian civilians are experiencing acute shortages of basic necessities after weeks of continuous military bombardment. The Human Rights Activists News Agency reports that over 1,492 Iranian civilians have lost their lives since hostilities commenced. Perino had characterized her inquiry as “upsetting,” highlighting the troubling lack of information coming from inside Iran because of internet blackouts. Iran has subsequently detained 46 individuals for distributing Starlink internet connections, among the limited methods Iranians had available to circumvent government communication restrictions.
Trump’s individual comments turned what started as a question about humanitarian circumstances into an awkward instance of televised flirtation. He indicated such a remark might “end” his political career, but persisted without tackling the core of the initial question. When he finally circled back to the subject, he discussed only how Iranians are “petrified” of their own government, providing nothing regarding food or water accessibility.
The episode contributes to growing concerns regarding how the president views the conflict. NBC News recently disclosed that Trump receives daily video briefings from US military officials comprised mainly of roughly two-minute montages displaying successful strikes on Iranian targets—what one source described as “stuff blowing up.”
Officials informed NBC the briefings highlight US successes while offering limited insight into Iranian responses or battlefield losses, a framework critics argue may insulate the president from comprehensive assessments.
Trump sustains almost daily contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to NBC News. Nevertheless, the president allegedly discovered damage to US aircraft at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia via media reports instead of official military channels—prompting serious questions about information flow within his administration.
The conflict has intensified significantly since US-Israeli operations commenced. Among the most contentious incidents was a strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ school in Minab, Hormozgan Province, which resulted in at least 175 deaths. The Feb. 28 attack on the first day of US-Israeli strikes was executed by a US Tomahawk missile, according to multiple investigations, including TIME, The New York Times, and Amnesty International.
Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin directly disputed Trump’s assertions about the school attack during an appearance on “Special Report.” She informed anchor Bret Baier it was “highly unlikely” that anyone other than the US fired the Tomahawk that hit the school, observing Britain and Australia have Tomahawks but aren’t part of the conflict, while Japan’s are still in testing. “I think the president knows that,” Griffin said. “He’s trying to sort of muddy the waters.”
At a press conference in Doral, Florida, Trump sought to deflect responsibility, characterizing Tomahawks as “very generic” and suggesting the possibility that Iran “also has some Tomahawks,” a claim weapons experts swiftly dismissed. When challenged, he conceded, “I just don’t know enough about it.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has refused to endorse the theory that Iran targeted its own facility, with the Pentagon indicating the incident remains under investigation.
Satellite imagery and independent analyses from Bellingcat, Human Rights Watch, and multiple news organizations demonstrate the school building was walled off from the adjacent Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval compound as early as 2016, with separate entrances allowing access without passing through military checkpoints. Investigators determined the school was likely hit due to outdated US targeting information, a significant intelligence failure.
Trump had escalated his rhetoric toward Iranian negotiators on social media, characterizing them as “very different and ‘strange'” and cautioning Iran to “get serious soon” before “it is too late.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt earlier cautioned Iran not to “miscalculate again,” stating at a March 25 briefing that “President Trump does not bluff and he is prepared to unleash hell.”
The exchange on Thursday on “The Five” exposed contradictions within media coverage of the conflict. A network that has persistently supported military action momentarily adopted humanitarian language before the president redirected the conversation entirely. Other panelists laughed during the exchange, treating the moment as casual banter rather than an unusual presidential response during wartime.
On Tuesday, March 31, Trump told reporters at the White House that the United States would be leaving Iran within “two weeks, maybe two weeks, maybe three,” indicating the US had largely accomplished its military goals and that Iran did not need to reach a negotiated settlement first. “Iran doesn’t have to make a deal,” he said. “It’s a new regime.”
Hours later, the White House announced Trump would deliver a national address on Wednesday night to provide “an important update on Iran.” Vice President JD Vance has not publicly commented on either the school strike or the president’s remarks during the Fox interview.
The administration continues to face scrutiny over its handling of information about civilian casualties and battlefield developments in the ongoing Iran conflict.
