Trump Claims He Ordered Iran Military Operation, Rejects Allegations of Netanyahu’s Influence

U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected claims that he was persuaded by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to become involved in the conflict with Iran, insisting that the decision to launch military action was his own.

In an interview published Wednesday by the New York Post, Trump dismissed suggestions that Netanyahu had pushed him into the war.

“Did Netanyahu lure me into it? I started this war,” Trump said, according to the interview. He argued that the United States could not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon and suggested that Israel would likely have been the first target if Tehran had succeeded in developing one.

“We can’t let them have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “Israel probably would have been hit first, and then Israel might not have existed.”

The president further claimed that without his actions, Israel’s security and existence would have been seriously threatened by Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He also stated that Iran had already agreed not to possess a nuclear weapon, while acknowledging that such commitments could change in the future.

During the interview, Trump also confirmed reports that he had a heated phone conversation with Netanyahu. When asked whether he had used profane language and called the Israeli leader “crazy,” Trump replied that he had, explaining that he was frustrated by Israel’s continued military operations in Lebanon.

“I was a little perturbed by his constant fighting with Lebanon,” Trump said, adding that at one point he told Netanyahu, “We’ve got to stop this.”

Despite the disagreement, Trump emphasized that he maintains a strong relationship with the Israeli prime minister.

“We’ve worked very well together. I like Bibi a lot,” he said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname.

The remarks come amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East and continued international debate over the conflict involving the United States, Israel, Iran, and regional actors.