Rachel Maddow was visibly taken aback Saturday night after reading Donald Trump’s statement on the U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites—a statement filled with strange capitalizations and an oddly casual tone for such a serious act of war.
Trump confirmed the strike in a message that immediately drew backlash from lawmakers and the public. One Republican even called the attack “unconstitutional.” But what left Maddow stunned wasn’t just the move itself—it was how the former president chose to communicate it.
Maddow quoted directly: “We have completed our very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran… all planes are now outside Iran airspace. A full payload of, inexplicable all capital letters, BOMBS.” She added, “It’s not an acronym; he’s just spelling it in all capital letters.”
She continued quoting: “There is not another military in the, capital, world that could have done this.” Then Trump ended his message with, “NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!” followed by, “Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Maddow pointed out the disconnect between the gravity of the situation and Trump’s delivery. “The president, in his quirky spelling and delivery, delivering the most sober possible message to the American people who have been largely opposed to and afraid of a potential U.S. war with Iran, again for generations.”
For viewers already anxious about another U.S. conflict in the Middle East, the strange, almost performative style of Trump’s message only added to the unease.
Watch the clip below:
