Fact Check: "President Donald Trump stated to Reuters that he knew the attacks on Iran were coming and attempted to prevent them."
What We Know
In a recent interview with Reuters, President Donald Trump claimed that he and his team were aware of Israel's plans to attack Iran. He stated, "We knew everything," suggesting that he had prior knowledge of the military actions taken by Israel against Iranian targets. This assertion aligns with reports that Trump had previously urged Israel not to escalate military actions against Iran while he was working towards a nuclear deal with them (source-6).
Additionally, a report from CBS News indicated that Trump advised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against assassinating Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, describing such an action as "not a good idea." This implies that Trump was actively trying to prevent certain aggressive actions against Iran, although the context of this advice was not explicitly linked to the broader military strikes.
Analysis
The claim that Trump knew about the attacks and attempted to prevent them is supported by his own statements and corroborated by various reports. Trump's assertion that he "knew everything" about Israel's plans lends credibility to the idea that he was not only aware of the impending strikes but was also engaged in discussions about how to manage the situation (source-1, source-8).
However, the reliability of the sources must be considered. Reuters is generally regarded as a credible news organization, and their reporting on Trump's statements is consistent with other reputable outlets. The CBS News report also provides a credible account of Trump's advice to Netanyahu, although it does not confirm that he was able to prevent the attacks.
On the other hand, some interpretations of Trump's statements may be influenced by his political motivations, particularly as he has been known to frame his actions in a favorable light. For instance, his comments about wanting to negotiate a deal between Iran and Israel could be seen as an attempt to position himself as a peacemaker, despite the ongoing conflict (source-2, source-5).
Moreover, while Trump did express a desire to avoid certain escalations, it is unclear how effective his interventions were, given that the attacks proceeded as planned. This raises questions about the extent of his influence over Israeli military decisions.
Conclusion
The claim that President Trump stated he knew the attacks on Iran were coming and attempted to prevent them is Partially True. While Trump did assert that he had prior knowledge of Israel's military actions and advised against certain aggressive strategies, the effectiveness of his attempts to prevent the attacks is ambiguous. His statements reflect a complex interplay of awareness and influence, but they do not definitively establish that he was able to prevent the strikes.
Sources
- 'We knew everything,' Trump tells Reuters about Israel's strikes on Iran
- Trump says he wants 'real end' to nuclear problem with Iran ...
- Iranian state broadcaster hit as Iran urges Trump to make ...
- Trump told Israel not to kill Iran's supreme leader, says report
- Trump urges diplomatic solution with Iran but says Israeli ...
- 'We knew everything, tried to save Iran,' Trump says of Israel's ...
- Trump Knew of Israel's Planned Attack on Iran All Along
- Trump says he 'always knew' details of Israel's attack on Iran
