Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested that President Donald Trump would rather focus on construction projects and play golf than engage in discussions about the Iran war. Lutnick made these remarks in late August outside a Washington, D.C., courthouse.
"The president works all day every day, and there are two things that he does for enjoyment. He plays golf on the weekend. And he builds," Lutnick said, as first reported by The New York Times. He described Trump's current focus as construction, likening the president to a "construction manager" capable of overseeing large-scale renovation projects.
Lutnick elaborated that Trump often calls him late at night to discuss building projects because he finds it enjoyable. "If you sat with him, would you have a nice chat with him? No, you'd ask him about Iran, then you'd ask him about this, then you'd ask him about that. Everybody does that, and the one thing he likes to do during the week is construction," Lutnick stated.
This assertion comes as the conflict between the U.S. and Iran has seen an escalation. After a period of reduced hostilities in August, both nations resumed more aggressive strikes last week. U.S. officials reported hitting Iranian launchers and military sites on August 30 and September 1, described as some of the largest strikes in weeks. Iran responded with its most significant missile and drone attack since April, targeting Israel and U.S. and allied bases in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iraq with nearly 60 projectiles.
According to Iran's health ministry, the U.S. strikes resulted in 18 deaths and 108 wounded. The Department of War reported 18 U.S. service members killed and over 750 wounded. While exact figures remain unclear, an estimated 3,500 Iranians have been killed during the conflict.
A ceasefire agreement signed in June ultimately failed, and a U.S. naval blockade has continued to impact Iran's economy, leading to severe inflation and a decline in the local currency's value. The recent exchange of strikes highlights the potential for the conflict to rapidly escalate, causing political and economic instability.