- Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu accused Iran of two failed assassination attempts on Donald Trump during his 2024 campaign.
- U.S. authorities charged an Iranian agent with recruiting a hitman targeting Trump, while Tehran denies involvement.
- Netanyahu warned Iranโs nuclear ambitions pose a global threat, urging strong action to prevent them from acquiring weapons.
Netanyahuโs Explosive Claim: Iran Tried Twice to Assassinate Trump
In a stunning revelation that has sent shockwaves through political circles, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of orchestrating two separate assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign. The bombshell emerged during a tense interview with Fox News anchor Brett Baier on Sunday, where Netanyahu didnโt hold back in describing Trump as Iranโs biggest enemyโand a prime target for elimination.
โThese people who chant, โDeath to America,โ tried to kill President Trump not once, but twice,โ Netanyahu said with conviction. His words came at a time when tensions between Israel and Iran have escalated dangerously, with missile exchanges lighting up the skies over the weekend. The prime minister framed these assassination attempts as a direct reflection of Iranโs desperation to stop Trump from thwarting its nuclear ambitions.
A Dire Warning About Iranโs Nuclear Threat
Netanyahu made a chilling appeal to the American public, underscoring the stakes involved in the confrontation with Tehran. โDo you want these people to have nuclear weapons? Do you want them to be able to strike your cities?โ he asked, his voice heavy with urgency. โOf course not. This is why we must stand strong, not just for Israelโs safety but for the worldโs.โ
Baier appeared visibly surprised by the gravity of the claims and pressed Netanyahu for more details. โDo you have evidence that Iran was directly behind these assassination attempts on President Trump?โ he inquired. Netanyahu responded firmly, โYes. Through their proxies. Their intelligence services. They want him dead.โ
This stark accusation marks a dramatic moment in the fraught relationship between Iran and the U.S., where suspicions about covert operations have long swirled but concrete proof has often been elusive. American intelligence agencies have so far not publicly confirmed Iranโs involvement in the assassination attempts, though President Trump himself hinted at Tehranโs hand during a speech last September.
Denials from Tehran and Netanyahuโs Personal Warning
Unsurprisingly, Iran has vehemently denied any role in the assassination plots. Tehranโs leaders dismissed the accusations as baseless propaganda, continuing their long-standing campaign of defiance against U.S. and Israeli allegations. But Netanyahu, unfazed, joked about Iranโs hit list extending beyond Trump himself.
โThey also tried to kill me,โ he admitted, with a wry smile. โBut Iโm his junior partner in this fight. They know that Trump is the real threat to their plans to build nuclear weapons and use them.โ
This statement offers a rare glimpse into how Netanyahu views the personal risks involved in the ongoing geopolitical chess game, casting Trump as the frontline soldier in an existential battle against Iranโs nuclear ambitions.
The U.S. Case Against Iranian Agents
The U.S. Justice Department took a significant step in November by charging an unnamed operative from Iranโs Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) with recruiting a man named Farhad Shakeri. According to prosecutors, Shakeri, 51, was tasked with surveilling Trump and ultimately planning to assassinate him. Officials emphasized that financial constraints were not a barrier for Iran when it came to eliminating Trump.
These legal actions gave some weight to Netanyahuโs assertions, though the details remain murky. What is clear is that Trump survived two near-fatal incidents in 2024 while campaigning for the White House, events that shocked the nation and left many wondering how close the former president came to death.
Close Calls That Shocked the Nation
The first attempt occurred on September 15, 2024, when authorities arrested Ryan Routh just outside the Trump International Golf Club. Routh was found carrying a semi-automatic rifle, a chilling reminder of how vulnerable public figures remain in todayโs politically charged environment.
A month earlier, at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump narrowly escaped death when a bullet grazed his ear. The moment was so harrowing that the doctor treating him called it a miracle he survived. Trump himself expressed disbelief at his good fortune, telling The Post in July, โIโm not supposed to be here. I should be dead.โ
The shooter in that case, Thomas Matthew Crooks, an engineering student, was killed on the spot by a Secret Service sniper. Intriguingly, Routh later linked himself to Crooks in a bizarre letter penned from jail, where he denounced Americaโs โtwo-party systemโ as part of his motive.
Public Reaction and Political Fallout
The news of Iranโs alleged assassination plots against Trump has ignited fierce debate across political and media landscapes. Supporters of Trump and Netanyahu see these claims as a wake-up call, proof of the dangerous threat Iran poses not just to the Middle East, but to global stability. They argue that Iranโs aggressive tactics and nuclear ambitions must be met with unwavering resolve.
Critics, however, caution against taking Netanyahuโs claims at face value without independent verification. Many have pointed out the lack of direct public evidence from U.S. intelligence agencies linking Iran to the assassination attempts, warning that such claims risk inflaming tensions and undermining diplomatic efforts.
Meanwhile, political analysts suggest these revelations could fuel hardline policies in Washington and Tel Aviv. Trump loyalists may use this information to justify a more confrontational stance toward Iran, while Democrats and moderates might worry about escalating conflict in an already volatile region.
Looking Ahead: The Iran-Israel-American Triangle
As tensions continue to simmer, the shadow of these assassination attempts looms large over international relations. Netanyahuโs call for the world to recognize the Iranian threat and act decisively highlights a broader fear: that Tehranโs quest for nuclear weapons could trigger catastrophic consequences.
The coming months will be critical in determining whether the U.S. and its allies double down on containment strategies or seek fresh diplomatic avenues. For now, the claims of assassination plots add a volatile layer to an already dangerous geopolitical puzzleโone where the stakes could not be higher.