Trump Doubts Netanyahu Was Warned Before Oct. 7 Attack

Former U.S. President Donald Trump stated in a wide-ranging interview with TIME magazine that he does not believe Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was warned in advance about the October 7th Hamas attacks. Trump dismissed reports suggesting that Egypt and the United Arab Emirates had conveyed explicit warnings to Israel prior to the massacre, saying, "I heard about it today for the first time. I don't believe it." He added that if Netanyahu had known, he would have taken action, at least putting forces on alert.

Trump's comments came as he defended Netanyahu against what he described as attempts by the "radical left" to deny the existence of the massacre. He echoed Netanyahu's earlier denial of the reports, calling them "baseless lies." The former president also offered his perspective on upcoming Israeli elections, cautioning against underestimating Netanyahu, whom he compared to himself in terms of being written off by opponents multiple times.

During the interview, Trump also discussed his administration's actions regarding Iran, claiming the U.S. military had "completely destroyed" Iran's nuclear capability, navy, air force, and radar systems, while also crippling its economy. He asserted that Iran's regime has killed tens of thousands of protesters and that destroying the regime would bring peace to the world.

Additionally, Trump highlighted his administration's achievements, including moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. He also touched upon global economic matters, including deals in Venezuela and advancements in artificial intelligence, which he termed "super-intelligence."