Netanyahu Suggests Hamas Attack Likely Averted if Trump Were Still President

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated this week that Hamas’s October 7 massacre “probably not” would have happened had Donald Trump been president at the time, citing stronger deterrence against Iran and its terror proxies.

Speaking on the Patrick Bet-David Podcast, Netanyahu said, “If Trump had been in the White House, I think Iran would have been more careful.” Though he acknowledged it’s difficult to predict the actions of what he called “maniacs,” Netanyahu suggested the Iranian regime might have exerted tighter control over its terrorist proxies.

The October 7, 2023 massacre, in which Hamas terrorists murdered 1,200 people and abducted 251 hostages from southern Israel, marked the single deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust and triggered Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.

In the interview, Netanyahu contrasted the Trump and Biden administrations’ approaches to Israel’s war effort. While expressing appreciation for President Joe Biden’s immediate support following the Hamas attack, he criticized the administration’s shift as media and diplomatic pressure mounted.

Netanyahu revealed that the Biden administration threatened to impose an arms embargo if Israel proceeded with operations in Rafah, where Hamas battalions remained active. He recounted telling then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken, “Israel will fight with its fingernails if we have to,” likening a refusal to enter Rafah to the Allies leaving Nazi forces intact in Berlin.

Despite these tensions, Netanyahu reaffirmed his country’s resolve: “Israel will do what it has to do.”

The prime minister also praised Trump for imposing sanctions on officials at the International Criminal Court, describing them as corrupt. “That’s what I like about him — he just cuts to the chase,” Netanyahu said.

Trump himself has previously stated that the October 7 massacre would not have occurred under his leadership, a sentiment Netanyahu echoed with cautious agreement.

Shifting to a broader historical view, Netanyahu reflected on America’s global role, linking U.S. dominance in the post-World War II era with the birth and survival of the State of Israel. “In the first half of the 20th century, America was not the global dominant power... the Holocaust took place,” he said. “But in the second half... Israel came into being. We are no longer massacred with impunity.”

He also took a moment to affirm his recognition of the Armenian Genocide, noting that the Knesset recently passed a bill acknowledging the atrocity as genocide a significant move given the sensitivity of the issue in international diplomacy.

Netanyahu’s remarks offer a candid look at the evolving dynamics between Israel and the U.S., the enduring impact of American leadership, and the critical importance of deterrence in confronting existential threats.

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