WATCH: Mixed messaging as President Trump continues to seek to justify war with Iran

Public contradictions within the administration have highlighted mixed messaging as leaders try to justify military action against Iran, including conflicting statements about what prompted the strikes. The new reporting shows this inconsistency extends across interviews, briefings and social media, making the president's stated rationale and timeline hard to pin down. The bombing of an Iranian elementary school and the president’s defensive responses have intensified calls for clarity, and Senate Democrats' threats to hold repeated war‑powers votes aim to force testimony that could expose further inconsistencies.