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Rewind: Did Trump claim in 2011 that Obama would start war with Iran to get elected?

Trump is reportedly considering a limited military strike on Iran to pressure the country into curbing its nuclear program.

by Rae Deng, June 24, 2025


Image courtesy of Getty Images/Snopes Illustration


In early 2026, a stalled nuclear deal pushed the U.S. and Iran closer to the brink of war as President Donald Trump's administration ordered a significant military buildup in the Middle East.

On Feb. 20, 2026, Trump reportedly said he was "considering" a limited military strike on Iran to pressure the country into limiting its nuclear program. He warned one day earlier that Tehran had 10 to 15 days to reach a deal with his administration or face "unfortunate" consequences. 

Snopes has frequently fact-checked rumors about U.S.-Iran relations during Trump's second presidential term, including whether the president posted a "Bomb Iran" parody of The Beach Boys' song "Barbara Ann." 

Here are nine claims we've examined about Iran and Trump, including his past comments about the country:


By Rae Deng

Rae Deng specializes in government/politics and is based in Tacoma, Wash.

Did Trump once say Obama would start war with Iran due to his inability to negotiate?

Feb. 20, 2026

In a years-old video that resurfaced online in early 2026 amid increasing U.S. tensions with Ira ...

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Did Iran threaten to assassinate Trump? What we know

Jan. 19, 2026

An alleged death threat was reportedly displayed on a sign held by a member of the public during ...

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Trump post said US is 'locked and loaded and ready to go' to intervene in Iran protests

Jan. 2, 2026

Protests broke out in Iran in late 2025 after the value of the country's currency plummeted.

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Iranian official said Trump might be struck by drone while sunbathing at Mar-a-Lago?

July 10, 2025

In response, Trump said he was not into sunbathing.

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Watch out for claim Niagara Falls turned red the day U.S. struck Iran

July 6, 2025

Social media users shared images of unusual water color at the famous waterfall amid internation ...

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A white man wearing a blue suit speaks behind a microphone.

Investigating claim that Trump 'gave Iran permission' to strike US base in Qatar

July 1, 2025

“They said, ‘We’re going to shoot them. Is one o’clock OK?' I said it’s fine," Trump said during ...

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Image shows person standing in a mountainous area

Video doesn't show 'bunker-buster' bombs dropped on Iran's Fordo nuclear site

June 25, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump said Fordo, one of three nuclear facilities hit by U.S. strikes, was ...

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Yes, Trump posted a 'Bomb Iran' Beach Boys parody video

June 25, 2025

“Time to turn Iran into a parking lot," the lyrics of the video said.

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Rewind: Did Trump claim in 2011 that Obama would start war with Iran to get elected?

June 24, 2025

A screenshot of the tweet gained popularity in June 2025 as President Trump considered military ...

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