Former President Trump has claimed that a past U.S. Leader confided a regret about not having authorized military action against Iran. The assertion, made during a dinner with Kennedy Center board members, has been met with denials from representatives of previous administrations.
“I was talking to a certain president, a former president, who said ‘I wish I had done it’,” Trump said, referring to a military strike on Iran. “But they didn’t do it. I do it,”
A White House source told NBC News that the former president in question was not Joe Biden. The network has since contacted spokespeople for other ex-presidents.
Denials from Former Administrations
Trump told Fox News reporter Peter Doocey during a press briefing that the former president he referenced was not George W. Bush, who served from 2001 to 2009.
An advisor to Bush confirmed to NBC News that there has been no contact between the two men. Similarly, an advisor to Bill Clinton, who was president from 1993 to 2001, also stated there had been no recent communication.
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This leaves Barack Obama (2009-2017) as a potential candidate.
“There have been no conversations recently,” an Obama advisor told NBC News.
The discrepancy raises questions about the accuracy of Trump’s account.
Trump Avoids Direct Answer
After dismissing George W. Bush as the source, Trump declined to say whether the former president he referenced was Bill Clinton.
“I won’t say,” Trump responded during the press briefing, prompting laughter from those present.
Trump explained that identifying the individual would develop them unpopular within their own party, due to what he described as “Trump Derangement Syndrome”—a term used by his supporters to describe those who are critical of him.
“There’s somebody that likes me, and I like the person – a very smart person. But that person said ‘I wish I had done it.’ But I’m not going to say who, I don’t want him to get in trouble. I think you probably understand who It’s. Maybe he’d be proud. I could ask him, ‘Should I reveal it to Peter at Fox News?’ You have tremendous ratings. The ratings are through the roof,” Trump said with a laugh.
If not Clinton, the next former president on the list would be Jimmy Carter, who passed away in 2024 at the age of 100.
