Fact Check: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not directly confirm whether the White House rejected the plan to kill Khamenei during an interview on Fox News Channel’s 'Special Report with Bret Baier' on June 12, 2025.

Fact Check: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Did Not Confirm White House Rejection of Khamenei Assassination Plan

What We Know

During an interview on Fox News Channel’s "Special Report with Bret Baier" on June 12, 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was asked about a reported plan by Israel to kill Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to multiple sources, including a report from the Washington Post, Netanyahu did not directly confirm whether the White House had rejected this plan. Instead, he stated, “But I can tell you, I think that we do what we need to do, we’ll do what we need to do. And I think the United States knows what is good for the United States” (source-1).

Reports indicate that President Donald Trump had indeed rejected the assassination plan, fearing it would escalate tensions in the region. This rejection was communicated to Israeli officials shortly after they briefed the Trump administration on the plan (source-1).

Analysis

Netanyahu's response during the interview was notably evasive regarding the specifics of the White House's stance on the assassination plan. His statement suggests an understanding that the U.S. is aware of Israel's operational needs, but it does not explicitly confirm or deny the rejection of the plan by the White House. This lack of direct confirmation aligns with the reports from various news outlets that indicated a rejection had occurred (source-1, source-4).

The credibility of the sources reporting on this matter is generally high. The Washington Post, for instance, is a well-respected publication known for its investigative journalism and adherence to fact-checking standards. The context provided by the article about the geopolitical implications of such an assassination plan further supports the reliability of the information (source-1).

Fox News, while a major news outlet, has faced criticism for bias in its reporting. However, the nature of the interview and the context surrounding it lend credibility to the fact that Netanyahu did not provide a straightforward answer regarding the White House's rejection of the plan (source-2, source-3).

Conclusion

The claim that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not directly confirm whether the White House rejected the plan to kill Khamenei during his interview on Fox News is True. His statements during the interview were non-committal and did not address the specifics of the rejection, which aligns with reports from credible news sources.

Sources

1. Trump vetoed Israeli plan to kill Iran's supreme leader, US official tells AP
2. Media Relations | Fox News
3. Benjamin Netanyahu to sit down with Fox News' Bret Baier amid Israeli conflict with Iran
4. Trump vetoed Israeli plan to kill Iran's supreme leader, US official tells AP
5. Fox News Channel's Bret Baier Lands First Interview With Israeli Prime Minister
6. Netanyahu's Exclusive: Bret Baier Interview on Fox News
7. Netanyahu says there will not be a 'second Holocaust'
8. Special Report With Bret Baier