By the time this column is published, we should know who the Democratic Party candidate will be - and most likely the next mayor of New York City. It remains unclear what will happen, which is stressful to many. Will it be the antisemite, anti-Israel Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, or former Governor Andrew Cuomo? It comes down to turnout.
I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from Yeshiva Tovah Vaadath reminding me of the importance of voting in this mayoral election. Maybe that’s a sign that the yeshivish world is taking this seriously. It is frightening that some progressive Jews are not only supporting Mamdani but are enthusiastic about the prospect of him becoming the next mayor.
This is not the only important event we are waiting to see play out. The second is Iran’s response to the U.S. attack on three nuclear sites. Perhaps by the time this is printed, we’ll have that answer. Nevertheless, we can still analyze the attack itself.
I was surprised that Trump authorized it. I expected it would be another example of TACO—Trump Always Chickens Out. The issue of Iran trying to create a nuclear weapon has spanned both Republican and Democratic administrations. The only one who did anything concrete was Obama, who made a deal with Iran that Trump abandoned during his first term.
The difference now is that Iran is significantly weaker. Since October 7, 2023, Israel has inflicted major damage on Iran’s proxies—Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. Additionally, Israel has dealt blows to Iran’s own military capabilities through targeted assassinations of Iranian commanders and strikes on key military sites. There were also reports that Iran was accelerating its uranium enrichment program in pursuit of a bomb. All of this created a situation that gave the United States perhaps its best-ever opportunity to neutralize Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. The administration didn’t hesitate and took action.
Some may say this is why Trump was miraculously saved from assassination and experienced an unprecedented political comeback. But it is fraught with danger to try to understand why things happen. That said, I do believe this attack likely would not have occurred under a Harris administration without Congressional approval.
At a minimum, Trump should have done what is traditionally expected: he should have notified Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in advance, just as he did with Republican leadership. On matters of this magnitude, bipartisan support is essential.
There is debate over whether the strike was necessary. Critics from both parties question the need for U.S. involvement—ranging from MAGA-aligned isolationists like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Steve Bannon, and Tucker Carlson, to progressive anti-interventionists. Some criticize the president for bypassing Congress. And there’s historical apprehension: many remember the Bush administration’s false claim that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction as justification for the Iraq War. In Iran’s case, the most recent statement from the intelligence community came from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who testified before Congress in March 2025 that there is no indication Iran is currently working to build a nuclear weapon.
The bottom line is that Trump deserves credit for taking this bold step. Those shocked that I would say something positive about Trump clearly haven’t read my past columns. Over the years, though rare, there have been moments when I agreed with his actions and publicly acknowledged them. Unfortunately, we live in a society where many see it as taboo to praise someone from the opposing political party or someone you generally disagree with.
Right now, we must wait and see how Iran responds. It would be helpful for the country to project a united front, which might dissuade Iran from escalating the situation further. These are dangerous times for Jews in New York City and around the world.
Warren S. Hecht is a local attorney. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
