US President Donald Trump has denied accusations that he was drawn into a war with Iran at Israel’s urging, even as criticism over the conflict grows—including from within his own political base.
In a social media post on Monday, Trump wrote, “Israel never convinced me to go to war with Iran. The events of October 7, along with my long-held position that Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon, were the real reasons behind this decision.”
However, there has been no publicly available evidence directly linking Iran to the October 7, 2023 attacks against Israel. Even Trump’s own intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard, testified before Congress in March that Iran is not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon.
In the eight months leading up to the war, Trump repeatedly claimed that US air strikes in June had completely destroyed Iran’s nuclear program.
Many critics argue that Iran did not pose an immediate threat to the United States and that the war primarily advanced Israel’s interests, potentially at the expense of American security and economic stability.
At the onset of the conflict, Iran responded to joint US-Israeli strikes—which reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, top officials, and hundreds of civilians—by closing the Strait of Hormuz. This move caused global oil prices to surge rapidly.
The impact has been felt داخل the United States as well. Rising fuel costs have intensified inflation. Before the war, petrol prices were below $3 per gallon (3.8 litres), but they have now climbed above $4, even more than a week after a ceasefire took effect.
A recent NBC News poll indicates that nearly two-thirds of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the war.
As public dissatisfaction grows, many critics now argue that Israel was the primary driving force behind the conflict, portraying Trump as a leader closely aligned with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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