Fact Check: Trump Opposed Israeli Plan to Kill Iran’s Supreme Leader
What We Know
On June 8, 2023, reports emerged that President Donald Trump opposed an Israeli plan to target and kill Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. According to multiple sources, including CBS News and AP News, Israeli officials had developed a credible plan for the assassination and briefed the Trump administration on it. U.S. officials indicated that Trump conveyed his disapproval to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressing concerns that such an operation could escalate tensions in the region and destabilize the already volatile situation involving Iran and Israel.
The plan was reportedly rejected by Trump, who aimed to prevent further military escalation and maintain a focus on diplomatic solutions. In a statement, Trump warned that the U.S. would hold Iran responsible for any retaliatory actions against U.S. targets, emphasizing a desire for de-escalation rather than military confrontation (Reuters, NBC News).
Analysis
The claim that Trump opposed the Israeli plan is supported by multiple credible sources, including AP News and CBS News. Both outlets cited unnamed U.S. officials who confirmed that Trump had communicated his disapproval of the assassination plan to Netanyahu. The consistency across these reports lends credibility to the assertion that Trump did indeed oppose the operation.
However, the response from Israeli officials has been mixed. Netanyahu did not directly confirm or deny the reports during an interview, stating instead that there are "many false reports" and emphasizing that Israel would act in its own interests (CBS News). This ambiguity raises questions about the internal dynamics between the U.S. and Israel regarding military operations against Iran.
Additionally, while some sources, such as NBC News, noted that Trump had previously shown reluctance towards military actions against Iran, they also highlighted a shift in his stance as the situation evolved. This indicates that while Trump opposed the assassination plan, his overall approach to Israel's military actions may not have been entirely consistent.
The reliability of the sources reporting this information is generally high, as they are established news organizations with a history of covering international relations and U.S. foreign policy. However, the reliance on unnamed officials does introduce a degree of uncertainty, as the motivations and context of these officials' statements are not fully disclosed.
Conclusion
The claim that President Trump opposed an Israeli plan to target and kill Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is True. Multiple credible sources confirm that Trump communicated his disapproval to Israeli officials, citing concerns about potential escalation in the region. The consistency of the reports across various reputable news outlets supports the validity of this claim.
Sources
- Trump vetoed Israeli plan to kill Iran's supreme leader, US ...
- Trump vetoed Israeli plan to kill Iran's supreme leader, US ...
- Trump opposed Israeli plan to kill Iran's supreme leader, ...
- How Trump went from opposing Israel's strikes on Iran to ...
- Trump vetoed Israeli proposal to assassinate Iran's ...
- Trump vetoed Israeli plan to kill Iran's supreme leader ...
- Trump rejects Israeli plan to kill Iranian supreme leader, US ...
- Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Iran's supreme leader ...
