Former President Donald Trump’s assertion that a past U.S. president privately expressed approval for his ongoing military campaign in Iran has been unequivocally denied by all four living former commanders-in-chief. Trump made the surprising claim multiple times on Monday, triggering widespread queries and immediate disavowals from the offices of his predecessors.
The Enigmatic Endorsement
Speaking from the White House, the 79-year-old President Trump declared, “For 47 years, no president was willing to do what I’m doing,” referring to his decision to launch the war in Iran. This conflict has already resulted in the deaths of 13 American service members and left over 200 injured or wounded. Furthermore, the initial day of hostilities saw a drone strike on a girls’ school in Iran, which reportedly claimed 168 lives, including 100 children. The war has also led to significant disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, contributing to a spike in global energy prices.
Trump further fueled speculation, stating, “I’ve spoken to a certain president, who I like, actually… He said, ‘I wish I did it. I wish I did’. But they didn’t do it. I’m doing it, yeah.” When pressed by a reporter to reveal the identity of this former leader, Trump demurred, explaining, “I can’t tell you that. I don’t want to embarrass him. It would be very bad for his career, even though he’s got no career.” Later, in the Oval Office, the President, whose cognitive faculties have been a subject of public discussion, reiterated his claim: “I spoke to one of the former presidents who I actually like… And he said, ‘I wish I did what you did.’ Could’ve done it. Other presidents, somebody should’ve done it. Forty-seven years this went on.”
When Fox News reporter Peter Doocy directly asked if the unnamed individual was George W. Bush, Trump replied, “No.” Asked about Bill Clinton, Trump hesitated, stating, “I don’t want to say. I don’t want to say.” He then described the person as a “member of a party, they have Trump Derangement Syndrome… it’s somebody that happens to like me and I like… that person is a smart person.” He added, “But that person said ‘I wish I did it,’ OK? But I don’t want to get into who. I don’t want to get him into trouble.”
Universal Denials from Past Leaders
The United States currently has four living former presidents: Bill Clinton (79), George W. Bush (79), Barack Obama (64), and Joe Biden (83). Following Trump’s statements, a spokesperson for former President Clinton explicitly informed The Daily Beast that he had not engaged in any discussions with Trump regarding the war in Iran. Similarly, aides representing former Presidents Bush, Obama, and Biden conveyed to CNN and the Associated Press that their respective principals had no record of any recent communications with Trump that would support such a claim, effectively contradicting the President’s narrative.
Trump’s Previous Affection for Clinton
Notably, Trump has previously shown a degree of admiration for Bill Clinton, often contrasting it with his more critical stance on Democratic figures like Obama and Biden. In February, Trump expressed public sympathy for Clinton in anticipation of a House Oversight Committee investigation into Clinton’s connections with the late financier and convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. Both Trump and Clinton’s names have appeared in documents released from the Epstein files, with both men consistently denying any knowledge of Epstein’s illicit activities.
At the time, Trump stated, “I don’t like seeing him deposed,” implying that he felt Democrats had pursued him more aggressively. In December, when additional Epstein documents containing images of both Trump and Clinton surfaced, the Republican leader again voiced his regard for Clinton, remarking, “I like Bill Clinton… I’ve always gotten along with Bill Clinton; I’ve been nice to him, he’s been nice to me.”
