Ex-Presidents: We Didn't Tell Trump We Wish We'd Bombed Iran

I guess it was another one of the imaginary friends who live in his head?
Ex-Presidents: We Didn't Tell Trump We Wish We'd Bombed Iran
Credit: DonkeyHotey, via Flickr/Creative Commons license
By Susie Madrak — March 17, 2026

Trump’s claim that a former president privately told him they backed his war in Iran has been denied by all four ex-presidents.

Three times on Monday, he referred to it.

“For 47 years, no president was willing to do what I’m doing,“ Trump said in the White House, speaking about launching his war on Iran that has so far seen 13 American service members killed and over 200 injured or wounded

“I’ve spoken to a certain president, who I like, actually,” Trump claimed. “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.”

When pressed on which former president, Trump said, “I can’t tell you that. I don’t want to embarrass him. It would be very bad for his career, even though he’s got no career.”

In a statement to the Daily Beast, a spokesperson for Clinton said he had not spoken to Trump about the war.

The Daily Beast has contacted the White House as well as reps for Bush, Obama and Biden. Aides for the three also denied it, “saying there is no record of any communications with Trump,” according to its report.

The cool thing about a president who lies constantly and demonstrably about everything is that you never really need to bother doing this kind of thing

— Jimmy Thomson (@jameswsthomson.com) 2026-03-17T00:38:50.731Z

“Can we wrap this war up this week?”
“Yeah. Sure.”
“Will we?”
“I don’t think so.” 🤷🏼

He also l tells Doocy another tall tale about a mystery ex president telling him he wishes he had attacked Iran - but won’t say who🙃

— The Tennessee Holler (@thetnholler.bsky.social) 2026-03-16T21:24:36.637Z

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