Biden administration decided that a national speech on Israel could spark Iran’s reaction

In the aftermath of Iran’s attacks against Israel on Saturday night, President Joe Biden chose not to address the nation to avoid escalating the conflict, Politico reported.

Iran launched a combination of drones and missiles at Israeli territory, the vast majority of which were shot down by Israeli air defenses with assistance from U.S. forces.

While CNN initially reported Biden would address the nation following the attacks, the outlet retracted the report shortly after.

According to Politico, a speech was never officially scheduled, and an address was eventually ruled out after senior White House officials determined that it would “likely escalate the tensions and may provoke Tehran.”

“Putting the president behind the Resolute Desk turns up the temperature,” one of the aides told the outlet. “That’s something to ideally avoid.”

Biden on Saturday reportedly told Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States would not support any counterattack against Iran, prompting pushback from both sides of the aisle.

Former national security adviser John Bolton called Biden an “embarrassment to the United States” for not supporting a stronger response to Iran’s aggression.

Democratic senator John Fetterman (Pa.) also told CNN’s Jake Tapper, “I don’t agree with the president,” saying the United States “should have Israel’s back in this situation.”