Donald Trump, speaking on Monday from Memphis, emphasized that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth was the first to propose military action against Iran during consultations with close aides about the escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The U.S. president said he convened a conference call with top officials, including Hegseth and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Air Force General Dan Caine, in order to assess the situation surrounding Iran before making decisions.

As he explained, he presented his aides with the dilemma of either continuing escalation or taking military action aimed at neutralizing the threat. “I called Pete, I called General Caine, I called many of our great people and I said we have a problem in the Middle East. We have a country, Iran, that for 47 years has been terrorizing and is very close to acquiring a nuclear weapon,” he said.

Turning toward Hegseth, who was seated to his right, Trump added: “And Pete, I think you were the first to speak. And you said: ‘Let’s do it, because you can’t let them get a nuclear weapon.’”

The U.S. Secretary of War smiled awkwardly as Trump continued discussing the ongoing talks with Iran, claiming they had “started last night.”

“I think they’re going very well. They want peace—they have agreed that they will not acquire a nuclear weapon, you know, but we’ll see. We have to achieve it. But I would say the chances are very good,” he added.

The U.S. president stressed that Israel “has been a great ally in this fight.”