(DailyVantage.com) – Netanyahu’s bombshell claim that Iran tried to assassinate Trump twice during the 2024 campaign has ignited a firestorm of controversy, especially as Trump reportedly vetoed an Israeli plan to eliminate Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei.
Key Takeaways
- Netanyahu claims Iran orchestrated two failed assassination attempts against Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign
- Trump reportedly vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in June 2025
- Netanyahu is pushing rhetoric suggesting regime change in Iran, stating military strikes “won’t escalate the conflict, it’ll end the conflict”
- The conflict marks a dangerous shift from proxy warfare to direct engagement between Israel and Iran
- No DOJ indictment has been confirmed in the provided sources regarding these alleged assassination plots
Netanyahu’s Explosive Allegations Against Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made the extraordinary claim that Iran orchestrated two failed attempts to assassinate former President Donald Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign. Speaking with characteristic intensity, Netanyahu framed Trump as “enemy number one” in the eyes of Tehran’s regime, pointing to Trump’s 2020 assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, his withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, and his ongoing efforts to block Iran’s nuclear ambitions as motivations for the alleged plots.
The first alleged assassination attempt occurred at Trump’s July 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks reportedly missed Trump’s ear by inches before being neutralized by Secret Service. The second incident allegedly took place at Trump’s West Palm Beach Golf Club, where a man named Ryan Routh was arrested on Trump’s property with a weapon, though no shots were fired. These claims represent a significant escalation in rhetoric from Israel’s leader as tensions with Iran reach boiling point.
Trump’s Surprising Veto of Khamenei Assassination Plan
In a remarkable twist that has left many conservatives puzzled, U.S. officials confirmed that Israel had an opportunity to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on June 14, 2025, but Trump rejected the plan. When presented with the operation, Trump reportedly dismissed it as “not a good idea,” despite his historically tough stance on Iran. This decision highlights the complex calculations at play in Middle Eastern geopolitics, where even the most hawkish leaders must weigh the consequences of dramatic escalation.
Netanyahu has neither confirmed nor denied these reports directly, maintaining Israel’s traditional policy of ambiguity regarding sensitive operations. However, he has repeatedly emphasized Israel’s right to act unilaterally against Iran’s nuclear and missile threats. Trump’s apparent restraint stands in contrast to Netanyahu’s more aggressive posture, with the former president reportedly remarking, “Sometimes they have to fight it out,” suggesting a preference for regional solutions over direct American involvement.
Regime Change: The Unspoken Goal?
Netanyahu’s recent statements have increasingly hinted at regime change as an objective in Israel’s confrontation with Iran. While denying it as an explicit goal, his rhetoric that military strikes against Iran “won’t escalate the conflict, it’ll end the conflict” has been widely interpreted as advocating for the overthrow of Tehran’s leadership. This position aligns with some American conservative commentators like Steve Bannon and Tucker Carlson, who have speculated about White House support for overturning Iran’s theocratic regime.
“It’s not going to escalate the conflict, it’s going to end the conflict,” Netanyahu stated, in what many analysts view as thinly veiled advocacy for regime change. This aggressive stance comes as Israel and Iran have abandoned decades of shadow warfare in favor of direct military confrontation, with Iran launching missiles at Tel Aviv and Israel targeting nuclear and military sites inside Iran. The escalation represents a dangerous new phase in Middle Eastern conflicts that could draw in regional and global powers.
Strategic Motivations Behind the Claims
Netanyahu’s decision to link Iran to attacks on Trump serves multiple strategic purposes. By portraying these alleged assassination attempts as part of Iran’s broader aggression, Netanyahu strengthens U.S.-Israel solidarity while simultaneously justifying preemptive strikes against Iranian targets. His regime-change rhetoric also aims to pressure Tehran both domestically and internationally, potentially exploiting internal Iranian dissent during a period of economic hardship and social unrest.
For Trump, blocking Khamenei’s assassination likely reflects legitimate concerns about regional escalation and post-strike instability. Despite his adversarial stance toward Iran, Trump has consistently expressed reluctance to initiate new conflicts in the Middle East. This approach aligns with his America First doctrine, which prioritizes U.S. interests while avoiding entanglement in costly foreign interventions that lack clear exit strategies or defined victory conditions.
Missing Evidence and Unanswered Questions
Despite Netanyahu’s confident assertions about Iran’s involvement in the Trump assassination attempts, the provided sources do not mention any Department of Justice indictment or conclusive evidence supporting these claims. This absence raises questions about whether Netanyahu’s allegations are rooted in verified intelligence or represent political posturing designed to strengthen the U.S.-Israel alliance against their common adversary.
The volatile dynamic between Israel and Iran underscores the risks of miscalculation as both nations navigate red lines on nuclear capabilities and retaliatory strikes. With Israel’s military superiority facing Iran’s asymmetric capabilities, and America’s complex role as Israel’s primary backer, the region stands at a precarious crossroads where rhetoric, reality, and strategic interests intersect in increasingly unpredictable ways.
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