After the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear facilities, the White House sent Republicans on the Hill a memo, which was obtained by NOTUS, detailing how they want Congress to message the strike.
“Iran was a nation on the threshold of having a nuclear weapon,” the memo reads, a statement that was recently challenged by U.S. intelligence.
The talking points focus on the Iranian government’s history, saying “Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terror and has targeted Americans since the regime took power in 1979.” It adds that “a federal court has held Iran responsible for the 1983 bombing in Beirut that killed 241 American servicemembers.”
The memo also says that the “Iranian regime is accountable for the deaths of more than 1,000 American soldiers and civilians,” and that “The Supreme Leader of Iran has said: ‘Death to America will happen,’ and that ‘death to America’ means ‘death to American leaders.’”
New: White House sent a memo with talking point on America bombing Iran to Hill Republicans
— Reese Gorman (@reesejgorman) June 22, 2025
“Iran was a nation on the threshold of having a nuclear weapon.”
“Iran is the world's leading state sponsor of terror and has targeted Americans since the regime took power in 1979.” pic.twitter.com/wwY2xCvS6E
The memo details numerous attacks that the U.S. government believes Iran or Iranian-linked forces have conducted against Americans, including: “March 2023, a U.S. contractor was killed and five U.S. service members and another contractor were wounded when an Iranian-backed militia conducted a drone attack in Syria.” And “October 2023, at least 45 Americans were injured in attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria by groups with links to Iran.”
It also highlighted that “Iran has conducted cyber attacks against the U.S.” This includes when Iranian operatives were charged with hacking Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
During his address to the nation Saturday night, Trump said the bombings might not be the last strikes America conducts on Iran, saying, “future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier” if the Iranian government does not “make peace.”
“There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days,” the president said. “Remember, there are many targets left.”
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Reese Gorman is a reporter at NOTUS.