U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not believe reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received warnings in the days before the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack, while declining to publicly back Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s elections this month.
In an interview with Time magazine published Thursday, Trump said he had heard about the reports for the first time that day.
“I can't imagine this,” Trump said. “I heard that today for the first time.”
Asked about reports that Netanyahu had been warned before the attack, Trump said he did not think that was the case.
“I think, you know, I think if he would have known, he would have done something about it,” Trump said. “Certainly, he would have had people at least alert.”
Trump, however, stopped short of endorsing Netanyahu for another term ahead of Israel’s elections this month.
Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump at the White House
(Photo: GPO)
Asked whether he believed Israelis should elect Netanyahu to another term, Trump replied: “Well, I can only say that I'm not involved in politics anymore.”
Trump was also asked specifically about Gadi Eisenkot and the possibility that the Yashar party chairman could win the election. Asked whether the United States might be able to work better with Eisenkot than with Netanyahu, Trump said he did not know.
“I don't hear bad things about him,” Trump said. “Well, people have written off Bibi many, many times, just like they've written off me many, many times. I wouldn't underestimate Bibi,” he added, using the prime minister's nickname.