After President Donald Trump on Saturday announced the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran via a Truth Social video from Mar-a-Lago, and attended a $1M/plate GOP fundraiser that night, Trump continued to oversee military ops from Florida, breaking with precedent for American commanders-in-chief during war.
New York Times Chief White House correspondent Peter Baker was among many who noted that the President “did not rush back to the White House” as the bombing campaign got underway, instead remaining at his Florida residence for the weekend.
Baker wrote on social media: “After Trump launched a new war on Iran, he did not rush back to the White House or make an Oval Office address to rally the nation as other presidents have done. He stayed at Mar-a-Lago to attend a glitzy political fundraiser.”
After Trump launched a new war on Iran, he did not rush back to the White House or make an Oval Office address to rally the nation as other presidents have done. He stayed at Mar-a-Lago to attend a glitzy political fundraiser. @KannoYoungs https://t.co/OZgWtprJ13
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) March 1, 2026
Trump’s White House Communications Director Steven Cheung replied to Baker: “Imagine being a reporter so consumed with Trump Derangement Syndrome that he wants President Trump to mimic the failed policies of the past. The truth is that President Trump spent the majority of his time monitoring the situation in a secure facility, in constant contact with world leaders, and made multiple addresses to the nation that garnered hundreds of millions of views. He also took dozens of calls with reporters, including many from Peter’s own outlet.”
So here’s the thing: there is an element of respect — for the office, for the American people, and especially for our troops — when a President drops everything and returns to D.C. to remain laser-focused on leading the country during sensitive times.
Our service members leave… https://t.co/up9GLaX698
— Sofia B. Kinzinger (@sofiakinzinger) March 2, 2026
Sofia Kinzinger, former communications staffer for Republicans including Vice President Mike Pence, House Speaker John Boehner, and the DHS during the first Trump administration, replied to Cheung: “So here’s the thing: there is an element of respect — for the office, for the American people, and especially for our troops — when a President drops everything and returns to D.C. to remain laser-focused on leading the country during sensitive times. Our service members leave their families and run toward danger for this country. The least a President can do, out of respect for them and their families, is do the same when leadership calls.”
Kinzinger, who married Trump antagonist and former Republican Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger in 2020, did not limit her criticism to Trump’s location during the initial Iran attacks. On Monday, Kinzinger castigated Senate Republicans who had voted to confirm Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whom she characterized as unequal to the responsibilities of the job. “Shame on those who voted to confirm, ” she wrote.
Let’s not forget: our current Commander in Chief chose a weekend morning show host to lead the Department of Defense —clearly both unqualified to lead this country into war.
Shame on those who voted to confirm.
— Sofia B. Kinzinger (@sofiakinzinger) March 2, 2026