Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has rejected claims suggesting he manipulated Donald Trump into committing the United States to a conflict with Iran. During an interview with ABC News, Netanyahu noted that Trump independently decided on the priority of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities during a meeting at Mar-a-Lago following the 2024 election.
Netanyahu also denied reporting that he promised Trump a swift regime collapse in Iran or the easy destruction of its missile arsenal. While he expects the Iranian government to fail in the future, he labeled claims that he guaranteed a quick victory without incident as inaccurate. Regarding declining American public support, which is currently measured at 32%, Netanyahu attributed the trend to online misinformation and foreign bot operations.
The leader asserted that public discourse concerning the conflict in Gaza has been distorted by falsehoods. He characterized Hamas as an organization driven by genocidal goals, claiming the group intentionally endangers civilians to damage Israel’s international standing. When questioned about the lack of independent journalistic access to Gaza, the Prime Minister maintained that the region remains a dangerous war zone, arguing that current conditions are openly documented and verifiable via satellite imagery.
