Stepien to Newsmax: Iran Conflict Requires Government-Wide Effort

President Donald Trump’s response to Iran reflects a coordinated, government-wide effort involving military, diplomatic, economic, and communications officials working together behind the scenes.

That's according to former White House political director and one-time Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, who said in an interview on Sunday, "I have been there, and the one thing behind the scenes that I think is a little understated and underreported is the collaboration and teamwork that goes on every single day to support the mission."

Stepien told Newsmax's "Wake Up America Weekend," "It's obviously a military operation, but it's really so much more than that."

War Department Secretary Pete Hegseth plays a central role, said Stepien, but he stressed that multiple agencies are involved in shaping the administration’s approach.

"Obviously, Secretary Hegseth is front and center, but it's not just him on the military front," he said. "There's the National Security Council, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, of course, and it's more than just about dropping bombs.

"This really is an all-government approach to support the mission."

He added that diplomatic officials and other departments are also heavily engaged.

"You know, there's the diplomatic angle. You've got the secretary of state, you've got the ambassador to the U.N., and others engaged," Stepien said.

According to Stepien, domestic security, energy concerns, and economic considerations also factor into discussions as the administration evaluates developments involving Iran.

"There are national security threats every single day, which we hear about in our country, so DHS is involved, and given the region that we're dealing with, the Department of Energy matters a lot," he said. "There's an economic impact that we see and feel every day, so the Council of Economic Advisers has a big seat at the table."

Stepien also said the White House communications staff and congressional liaisons work to ensure lawmakers and the public remain informed about developments.

"The American people need to know what's going on. So the president's communication team is obviously very engaged," he said. "And lastly, you know, the liaisons to Capitol Hill and stakeholders around the country and in the city, they need to be engaged."

He described the overall effort as complex and highly coordinated.

"So this is a really complex mission. There's a lot of collaboration. There are a lot of early mornings and late nights, and a lot of conversations centered around making sure that all the cabinet resources are centered on supporting all the important work that's going on in Iran right now," Stepien said.

Stepien also stressed that the administration pursued diplomatic options before resorting to military action.

"I remind everyone that just like was the case in Venezuela, use of the military was not the first option," he said. "Diplomacy was just last month, there were three rounds of talks with Iranian officials."

He said the administration signaled its willingness to escalate if necessary.

"They brought the chief of the U.S. Army Central Command to one of the meetings to send a pretty, not so subtle signal," Stepien said. "They move the assets to the region in a very, very public way, in a slow, measured way."

Stepien added that Trump had repeatedly warned Iran about the consequences.

"The president spoke about this issue of Iran in the State of the Union, literally his biggest speech of the year," he said. "He gave these guys so many warnings, so many chances.

"They brought this upon themselves. The military really was a last resort, not a first resort."

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