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In an exclusive interview with Time magazine, U.S. President Donald Trump speculated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might lead Israel into a military confrontation with Iran if diplomatic efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons fail. Trump suggested that while he does not believe the United States would be dragged into the conflict unwillingly, he made it clear that if no resolution is reached through diplomacy, he would willingly take action and lead the charge.
“If no agreement is reached — I’ll gladly join. I’ll lead it,” Trump declared, emphasizing his strong stance that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. He added that while he hopes a peaceful diplomatic resolution can be reached, military action may become necessary if Iran continues its nuclear pursuits. "I hope we can do it without an attack — but we may have to," he said.
Trump also addressed the reports suggesting that he had blocked an Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear sites during his presidency, denying those claims once again. “That’s not right,” Trump said. "I didn’t stop them. But I didn’t make it comfortable for them. I think we can make a deal without the attack. I hope we can, but I didn’t say no. Ultimately, I was going to leave that choice to them. But I said I would much prefer a deal than bombs being dropped."
When asked whether Netanyahu might drag the U.S. into a war, Trump responded, “By the way, he may go into a war. But we’re not getting dragged in.” However, he also clarified that while the U.S. would not be pulled into the conflict unwillingly, he could see himself leading the effort if no agreement is reached with Iran: “I may go in very willingly if we can't get a deal. If we don't make a deal, I'll be leading the pack.”
Trump also signaled his willingness to engage in direct talks with Iran, including with its Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. When asked whether he would be open to meeting with Khamenei, Trump responded simply, "Sure," further suggesting that he would be willing to negotiate directly with Iran’s leadership to secure a deal.
On the ongoing fighting in Gaza, Trump placed much of the blame on former President Joe Biden, accusing the current administration of enabling Iran’s financial resurgence, which he believes has fueled terrorism in the region. “I would say that the blame for that is Biden more than anybody else,” Trump said. He explained that under his administration, Iran was financially crippled and unable to fund terror groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. "Iran was broke under Trump. They had no money, and they told Hamas, ‘We’re not giving you any money.’”
Trump continued, criticizing Biden's policies: “When Biden came in, he took off all the sanctions. He let China and everybody else buy all the oil. Iran developed $300 billion in cash over a four-year period. They started funding terror again, including Hamas.”
“I blame the Biden administration because they allowed Iran to get back into the game without working a deal,” he concluded.
Plans for Middle East diplomacy and Saudi-Israeli normalization
Trump also discussed his upcoming foreign trip and the potential for further normalization in the Middle East. He revealed that, for his second term, he plans to visit the region next month to push forward Saudi-Israeli normalization.
“What I want, and the reason I’m doing it, is because Saudi Arabia has agreed to invest a trillion dollars in our economy. $1 trillion,” Trump stated. He mentioned that he would visit Qatar and the UAE as part of the trip, underscoring his strong relationships with Middle Eastern leaders.
On the potential for a Saudi-Israeli deal, Trump expressed confidence. "I think Saudi Arabia will go into the Abraham Accords," he said. "I think it will be full very quickly." He noted that while the Abraham Accords were initially a historic achievement during his presidency, the Biden administration has not effectively built on it. “Unfortunately, they did nothing. They did nothing with the Abraham Accords. We had four countries in there, it was all set. We would have had it packed. Now we’re going to start it again.”
Trump emphasized that the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel would be a major accomplishment. “That would be a big deal,” he said. "It will happen. That would be a big accomplishment."
On anti-Israel protests and free speech
Trump also addressed his administration's efforts against anti-Israel protests on American college campuses. He emphasized that while he supports free speech, he condemned the violent and destructive nature of some demonstrations, particularly those with anti-Semitic elements.
“There's tremendous antisemitism at every one of those rallies,” Trump said. He added that while students have the right to protest, they should not be allowed to riot or damage university property. "They can protest, but they can't destroy the schools like they did with Columbia and others,” he stated, making clear that he would not tolerate acts of violence under the guise of free speech.