Trump: "I don't believe Netanyahu was warned before October 7"

US President Donald Trump publicly backs Prime Minister Netanyahu and refutes claims of receiving early warnings before October 7. In an interview with TIME, Trump said he does not believe Netanyahu knew about the attack, and dismissed reports of warnings from Egypt and the UAE. Trump also warned Netanyahu's rivals not to underestimate him.

US President Donald Trump has given unequivocal public backing to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, refuting claims that he received early warnings ahead of the October 7 massacre. In a comprehensive exclusive interview from the Oval Office with TIME magazine, published Thursday, Trump addressed recurring reports that intelligence agencies from Egypt and the UAE had warned Israel about the planned attack, and stated confidently that he does not believe those reports. Trump reacted with surprise and dismissed the claims outright: "I heard about it today for the first time. I can't imagine it at all. You mean he knew about it? I don't think so. If he knew, he would have done something about it. At the very least he would have put people on alert. He wouldn't have forgotten about it. It was a terrible day." Later, the president was asked whether the people of Israel should give Netanyahu another term, and he recalled his administration's achievements for the country's security. When asked about the possibility that Netanyahu's political rival, Gadi Eisenkot, could win the election, Trump delivered a sharp message to the prime minister's opponents: "People have written off Bibi many times — just like they've written me off many times. I wouldn't underestimate Bibi." Trump's words of support come directly after Netanyahu's own statements just hours earlier in an interview with CNN, where he categorically denied receiving any warnings.