newsletter
  • Military//War

“Israel Never Talked Me Into The War With Iran,” President Trump Insists He Has Had A “Lifelong Opinion That IRAN CAN NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON”

  • Rob Glenn
  • April 20, 2026
“Israel Never Talked Me Into The War With Iran,” President Trump Insists He Has Had A “Lifelong Opinion That IRAN CAN NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON”

President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on April 20 that Israel did not influence his decision-making regarding the ongoing conflict with Iran, asserting instead that his position has long been rooted in a consistent opposition to Iran obtaining nuclear weapons.

In the post, Trump rejected claims that the United States had been drawn into the war at the urging of Israeli leadership, writing, “Israel never talked me into the war with Iran, the results of Oct. 7th, added to my lifelong opinion that IRAN CAN NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON, did.” He framed his stance as predating the current conflict, emphasizing that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities has been a longstanding priority.

Trump also criticized media coverage and public polling related to the conflict, stating, “I watch and read the FAKE NEWS Pundits and Polls in total disbelief. 90% of what they say are lies and made up stories, and the polls are rigged, much as the 2020 Presidential Election was rigged.” He further suggested that future developments in Iran could lead to significant change, adding, “the results in Iran will be amazing – And if Iran’s new leaders (Regime Change!) are smart, Iran can have a great and prosperous future!”

His comments come amid ongoing political debate in Washington over the origins and justification of the conflict. Former Vice President Kamala Harris has argued that U.S. involvement was influenced by Israeli leadership, specifically pointing to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Speaking at a Minnesota Democratic convention, Harris said, “He entered a war, got pulled into it by Bibi Netanyahu. Let’s be clear about that. Entered a war that the American people do not want, putting at risk American service members.”

Similar claims have been raised by Senator Chris Murphy, who suggested in a recent interview that “the simplest explanation” for the conflict “might be… that Israel made us do it,” adding that Netanyahu “decided he wanted to attack” and persuaded Trump to participate by highlighting potential threats to U.S. interests in the region. These criticisms have contributed to a broader dispute over whether U.S. military action was driven primarily by American strategic concerns or by alliance commitments.

The conflict referenced in these remarks began with a U.S. military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury, launched in late February 2026. The operation involved coordinated strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure, including command centers, missile systems, and air defense networks, and has since expanded into a wider regional confrontation. The escalation, along with the deaths of Iran’s supreme leader and multiple senior officials, has intensified scrutiny of the administration’s objectives and the long-term implications of the war.

Trump’s April 20 statement directly addresses that criticism, maintaining that the decision to confront Iran was based on his longstanding policy views rather than external pressure, while continuing to argue that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons remains a central objective.