Donald Trump made a series of claims about private conversations with former U.S. presidents during remarks about the ongoing Iran conflict, suggesting that one of them had expressed regret over past decisions. The comments, delivered in two separate appearances, quickly drew attention as Trump declined to identify the individual while describing the exchange in detail.
Donald Trump made claims about talking to former Presidents
According to NBC News, President Donald Trump said Monday that he had spoken to a former U.S. president about bombing Iran and claimed that the former leader expressed regret at not taking similar action. Trump stated, “I’ve spoken to a certain president — who I like, actually. A past president, former president, he said: ‘I wish I did it. I wish I did.’ But they didn’t do it. I’m doing it. Yeah?”
Aides to four former presidents publicly denied that such a conversation took place. A representative for George W. Bush said “they haven’t been in touch,” while an aide to Bill Clinton stated that whoever Trump referred to was not Clinton. An aide for Barack Obama said there had been “no recent conversations,” and a source familiar with the matter said the individual was not Joe Biden.
Trump repeated the claim later the same day in the Oval Office, saying, “I spoke to one of the former presidents who I actually like.” He added, “I actually speak to some,” and reiterated that the unnamed former president told him, “I wish I did what you did.”
When asked to identify the former president, Trump declined to provide a name. He said it was not Bush and responded, “I don’t want to say” when asked if it was Clinton. He further stated, “I don’t want to say because a member of a party, a member of a party, they have Trump derangement syndrome.”
Trump also said, “It’s somebody that happens to like me, and I like that person, who’s a smart person,” and added that the individual told him, “I wish I did it.” He continued, “I don’t want to get him into trouble,” and said, “And maybe he’d be proud.”
